Holidays Down South (Of The Uk) Poem by George Bernard Hough

HOLIDAYS

When holidays come to the forefront.
To cut down the risk of a storm.
I think I`ll go southward this summer
And find somewhere cosy and warm.

Cornwalls the place to go surfing
where beaches are flat as can be.
But keep your` eyes skinned for the pirates
they`re not all aboard and at sea!
The lights on the cliffs are the wreckers,
kindly guiding the ships to the rocks.
The darkness is hiding the smugglers,
bringing whisky, tobacco and - frocks!

Devons my favourite location
for songs of the farms and the moors.
Of Agatha Christie and Poirot
and wonderful beaches and shores.
You `ll have to be careful on dartmoor
If walking on dark misty nights,
For yon beast if it still be roamin`
could creep up and give you the - frights!

Somerset tickles my fancy,
as down in its caves you descend,
The stalactites stuck to the ceiling
can give you a shock when you bend!
Its people are friendly and happy
and make one feel welcome it`s true,
But maybe that`s caused by the cider
from Somerset apples they brew!


Dorset`s a place not to loiter
King Charles didn`t stay very long
Passed through whilst escaping to Europe,
avoiding the axeman`s sharp tongue!
The six, so brave, Tolpuddle martyrs,
whose march was the talk of the day
Didn`t settle in Dorset`s fair borders-
they went to Australia to stay!


Wiltshire`s the home of good carpets
If that`s what you`re wanting to see
And Wiltons the place you should go to,
the rest of the country agree.
It`s also the home of moonrakers
too clever for those excise men.
White horses that never will canter
a circle of stones - beyond ken!


Hampshire`s a little bit noisy
with soldiers on Salisbury plain
And sailors in Portsmouth, the harbour,
all sheltering in pubs, from the rain!
To visit, there`s forts and there`s castles
and restaurants with big juicy steaks
I`ll point out the chefs are not perfect
cos Alfred - there once burned the cakes!


Berkshire with Ascot and Windsor,
were each of them, given royal charter
And here was the island where barons and earls
got King John to sign t` - Magna Carta.
A regular down at the old Hinds Head inn
was a highwayman famous and young
Dick Turpin by name, with his faithful Black Bess
robbed coaches - until he was hung.


Surrey`s a county of woodlands,
you could wander around them for days
It`s also the home of Kew gardens
and Hampton court too, with it`s maze
The locals are called Surrey capons!
a real funny nickname is that
It`s nothing to do with appearance-
they knew how to get chickens fat.


Sussex, the home of watt tyler,
who helped lead the peasant revolts
Which was all brought about by the poll tax
meant to fill up old John o Gaunt`s vaults
Brightons great pier and pavillion,
brought visitors from far and wide
The Prince of Wales made a quick visit,
Charles II - he left with the tide.


Kent is the county where hops grow,
a vital ingredient of beer
It`s skies was the place that the our planes fought,
in the battle for britain one year.
The French gave a nickname to Kent folk,
the derisory name of long tails
This, coming from someone, who -
smells of garlic and enjoys eating snails


I`ve studied most of the south counties
I now think I`ve made up my mind
To stay here up north were my heart is
And be of the home lovin` kind

Copyright B Hough 2010