April 1, 2008

9:29am Tuesday 1st April 2008

MAN'S SELFISHNESS

Rain pouring down on grey pavements

Drains overflowing, too much volume

Of water, flooding roads and homes

Habitats destroyed, possessions lost

Memories forgotten as photos are soaked

Rivers' banks bursting

With muddy waters

Soaking fields and meadows

Wildlife dashing for cover

Nests disturbed, ducklings lost, mothers despair

Nature wielding her anger on the world

As man destroys the planet

With his inconsiderate use of fuels

Cars and planes emitting the rubbish

From dirty exhausts, choking life in return

For travelling to and fro, spoiling the earth

The ice poles are melting

Underneath a blazing sun, seas getting warmer

Countries baking hot, a drought in some

Far off land, people dying, no fresh water

Food in short supply

All this was foreseen many years ago

But man decided to bury his head

And ignore the warning signs

Children of the future will suffer

From our selfishness

No choice, but to clean up

The mess we call our world.

Carole Woodcock, Darlington

TIME ON HOLY ISLAND

We sat 'neath the cross

On cuddies isle,

Enjoyed the sun and the peace

Just for a while.

'Tis a place of pilgrimage

Where St Cuthbert came

To find true solitude

To call on His name.

In the background

Seals did roar

As we relaxed on

That holy shore.

As we made our way back

'Pon that special day,

We spotted two crabs

As they scuttled away.

Then we picked our route

Between pools and seaweed

Seeing fossils in stones

As the sea did recede.

God's wonders were evident,

His presence was there,

We had joy in our hearts

As His peace filled the air.

Elizabeth Tomlinson, Richmond, North Yorkshire

A TRUE TALE

My weekly pension I did collect

From the post office on Monday morning

How did I know they'd given me a dud

A twenty pounder, given without warning?

Down to the bank I sauntered then

And innocently passed the thing.

Suspicion was cast upon me at once.

Was the cashier going to sing?

I didn't realise, I never thought

What consequences were about to explode

I'd been lumbered, you see, and I wanted rid,

So to the supermarket I went to unload.

Later that day I had a visit

From the police, well, I had been rumbled,

They talked of arrest and deceiving with intent

My excuses came out all sort of mumbled.

"We'll sort it tomorrow," they said quite sternly

Making me feel like a fool,

"You'll have to pay this money back,

You know, that will be the rule."

I fretted and worried, paced up and down

Wondering what prison term I'd serve.

Then the coppers came back with good news I must say

"Don't do it again," they said. "Just behave."

"I won't, I won't," I cried out loud.

"I'll not do it no more."

"You'd better not," the sarge replied

"Or you'll be run in by the law."

Mrs Jean Naseby, Redcar

HOW'S THIS FOR A BARGAIN

The pages of the Echo

are a mine of information

Of where to buy another car

And plan your next vacation.

Local news hot off the press

Hints on make-up and how to dress

Births, deaths and marriages

And anniversary dates.

A special page for the horoscopes

To let you know your fate

Results for all the races

And all the football scores.

Who has won the lottery

And a whole lot more

Well, I think for 40 pence

It's a real good buy

So why not have a bash

And give it a try?

Betty Watt, Durham

I love the Northern Echo

An excellent paper to read

Especially now reduced in size

It's very handy, indeed.

I can take it when I'm travelling

On a plane, a train or bus

With the utmost confidence

It wouldn't cause a fuss.

I always do the crossword

On Saturday Lost for Words

then to rest my brain a while

I go outside to feed the birds.

There are many other newspapers

But the Echo is by far the best

In my personal estimation

It's a cut above the rest.

Vera Bennett, Darlington

A PROMISE KEPT

There was a young woman called Janet

Fags to her were like food to a gannet

She then had a think

Fags, how they stink

They're ruling my life on this planet

So fags thrown away

It's patches today

I'll have more money

My future looks sunny

How good will I feel

I'll enjoy every meal

Come Christmas lunch

I'll be there with the bunch

Not standing along in the garden

Mrs Mavis Bainbridge, Spennymoor

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