Poemography

Posted on: Fri September 14, 2012

As part of the photography group I run in Crowborough, James Galpin and I have set up a challenge for local poets and photographers. The idea is to put your thoughts about Crowborough down in a poem and then offer photographers the opportunity of illustrating one of those poems in photographs. It can be one photo or up to 5. The images and poems will be presented as part of the Crowborough Festival.

Here are the great poems that we have had submitted in a very short time frame, so we are very grateful to those who have pulled out all the stops and got us great poems.

Here there are…

…

Commuters

Early morning, Crowborough Hill.
Commuters moving, heads down, eyes averted
walking purposefully; striding, coasting toward the Brook
in convoy, moving wave-like continuously
flowing, snaking in a mechanical
procession of pedestrian perfection;
maintaining their connection with locomotion,
marching forward stoically, collectively merging
to form a stream of human energy
culminating at Platform One and the 7.46 to London Bridge.

© Jennifer Yates
…

Uphill

Here to stay! New home; new life to face;
New shops and cafes, place to meet with friends;
It’s all uphill from here.

Uphill is fine.  Digest the view for miles;
Sprawl of greens and browns; the trees, the towns;
All best seen from up-hill.

Children come. Young legs will find uphill
Is fun! Don’t mind it when the car stays home
‘Cos up-hill isn’t far.

Then they’re away! Time to regroup;
Recoup the tranquil; striding out to take the air
From up there, uphill.

Stiff legs, old heart; eyes and hearing
Not so smart; and the doctor, chemist, hospital
Now all lie uphill.

Here to stop; old life to face from this,
A new place at the top.  But will it still be
All uphill from here?

© Anne Acott
…

Crowborough Rides High

You need to look up to Crowborough.
Despite all it’s troubles and ills
Yes you need to look up to Crowborough
As it’s on top of all of them hills.

I know cos I’m a new cyclist
Now decked out in genuine lycra.
Inspired by gold medals
I took to the pedals
Much quicker than being a hiker.

It’s always downhill to begin with
When you’re fresh,energetic, full of vim.
But to get back to home
From wherever you roam
There’s a big hill and the prospect is grim.

So if I’m asked about Crowborough
Coin a phrase that would sum up the town
Well in more ways than one
When all’s said and done
It has it’s ups and down

© Peter Jeffery

…

Adoptive Home

On southern streets I wandered
a stranger from the north,
Friendless and faceless
seeking warmth and welcome,
I flinched from the chill of anonymity

Remote on crowded pavements
I felt my enthusiasm seep
through the cracks
too narrow for my feet

In passers by
my keen eye
tried to seek and meet
a friendly flicker,
a welcome note,
But alas -
community
was
DEAD
on the streets.

When loneliness
ached in my bones
and my heart was beating a path home,
I climbed the summit
of Crowborough
and felt it’s reward

For I met no aversion of eyes
No tight-lipped silence,
but smiles – that shone wide and bright
and warmed my flagging spirit.

In Crowborough,
this Northern soul
found her adoptive home.

© Karen Rollason

…

The air spa village with everglade climate
A convenient stop for city dwellers en route
Whose periods of rest grow with each visit
Allowing their souls to rest and take root.

Organic growth, no heroic gesture
Swelling populous from cluster to mass
Authorities deliver a countryside town
While resistant villagers ignore the class

A lush green heart of triangular shape
Flanked by religion to follow the norm
Once vital bringers of life and support
Now placemakers of architectural form

Disparate gems in available fields
Cherry-picked sites thought wise to convert
Change driven hard by the wealth of the few
No merit paid to Masterplan work

Industrial edge now colouring fast
Increasing receipts fast replace craft
The cattle train connection to capital city
Lends time and skills from provincial marks

Void of the riches that make many towns
The people hold fast supporting their own
Housing and schools come to the fore
Love and compassion rightly home grown

Whilst space is defined by shapes that make place
A town can be made by the sum of its people
Hearts that are shared with ready smiles
Far more worthy than the finest of steeples

© James Galpin

…