Bohemia Village Voice

From Bohemian Bouquet, published 1980 by The Bohemians

 

A Northiam Walk

What could be more pleasant

On a warm summer’s day,

Than strolling through the woods and fields,

Through leaves, and dust and hay?

With friends to share your wanders,

And dogs to sniff around

In search for smells that snouts delight,

With which the ways abound.

The sun’s bright heat upon your back,

While gentle breezes play

Soft sweet music for your ears

Among Dog-Rose and May.

With undulating countryside

To feast your eyes upon –

Such memories to put to store

For when the summer’s gone.

To talk of this and mention that,

No lofty thoughts inspire,

Content to let the sterner things

Of life to just ‘Hang fire!’

“Look, there’s a lark, – and see how sheep

Have walked this way in line,

A winding path their hooves have trod

In pastures chewed down fine.”

“Let’s climb this stile and see beyond

The corn that’s grown so well,”

‘A bumper crop’ the farmer says

To make the hoppers swell.

A dragonfly is hovering

While crickets gaily sing,

A rabbit’s ear is briskly washed,

A heron takes to wing.

The Rother winds its gentle way

With willows standing by,

‘Neath mellow-bricked bridge and railway line

To emerge at last in Rye.

These pastoral scenes my soul enjoys,

No city dweller, me.

Give me the rural setting please,

I’ll leave the streets to thee.

 

June Mann