CYHA News

CYHA Poetry Competition 2013

Thanks to Doug for organising the poetry contest at our Christmas party, and thanks to all those who submitted entries.

Prizes were awarded to Tom for his heartfelt limerick, and to Judi for her outstanding volume of contributions!

John Friend’s poetic offerings:

Limerick 1

One morning did Judi and Jake,

commence the butties to make.

They put in some ham,

and for Ali some jam;

But nobody got any cake.

Limerick 2

Said Dave, "I have bacon and beans,

And moreover, I’ve even the means

to make something new

from left-over stew,

But what shall I do with the greens?

A CYHA Haiku

Breakfast ready

Sausages beans toast

Fergus still a’bed

Another Haiku

C Y H A

Mountain moor river lake

Teashop later

Tom:

There was a sweet girl called Yasmira

a lady who couldn't be dearer

It was love at first sight

on her very first flight

I just wish she lived very much nearer

Cress:

Chelmsford CYHA

Have loads of trips away.

But the committee is small,

And they plan them ALL,

Thats why they're all old and grey!!

Alison:

There was an old chap called Deboo

Who wanted a poem or two

To get a good rhyme

There just wasn't (the) time

So I guess this will just have to do

A couple of ditties from Judi

Song of Higher Walkers

(or A Tall Story)

By the shores of dark Llyn Ogwen

By the Glyders’ soaring crags

Stands the rock-girt peak of Tryfan

Magnet for the Chelmsford Group

Up they went, the flat-land weaklings,

Up the Heather Terrace route.

Looking down on Ogwen Valley

Bristly Ridge rose up ahead.

Then they came to wild Bwlch Tryfan,

Ate their lunch and dumped their packs.

Dumped them with the smiling Cress, who

Had more sense than carry on.

Then they started once more upwards,

Clambered on, o’er crags and boulders,

Using elbows, backsides, knees,

Up they grunted, gasped and sweated,

Shattered as the splintered screes,

‘Till they stood on Tryfan’s summit,

High above the dark Llyn Ogwen

With a thousand other walkers

Taking photos of each other.

There they met those hardy hikers

From the Northland’s peaty hills.

Then they learned that John and Judi

Up a harder way they had come.

Up the steeper rocks of Tryfan

Up the North Ridge by the crags.

And to prove it they had photos

Of the view beneath their boots

As they posed upon the cannon

Where the waters of Llyn Ogwen

Shone two thousand feet below.

When the Chelmsford Group had mustered

Down they went their weary way.

What a day they’d had on Tryfan

Just one thing that must be said -

Those two hikers aren’t THAT ancient -

Doug is older by a head!

The Corncrake Chorus

The pleasant island of Tiree,

Or so John Friend had heard

Was quite the favoured place to see

A most elusive bird

And did he see the corncrake?

Oh, sure, we heard it - day and night,

it nearly drove us mad

But could John get a single sight

Have pity on the lad!

He could not see a corncrake

When Mrs Friend and Mr Brown

Were looking low and high

To track the tiny moonwort down

A corncrake fluttered by.

So - yes - they saw the corncrake.

Frustrated, John got up at dawn

Before the others stirred

Though corncrakes croaked throughout the morn

He never saw a bird

He never saw the corncrake.

When Judi for a church to view

To Barrapol went hither

Across the road walked number two -

So sad John wasn’t with her!

She’d seen another corncrake!

Although with patience he did seek

To see a bird come nigh

He didn’t get a single peek

So sadly he did sigh

I’ve yet to see a corncrake!’