Northumberland: A Place I Love. {poetry}
From huge skies
To changing seas
Howling gales
To sweet summer breeze
From Kielder Water
To Amble shore
Market towns, hamlets
Villages and moor
From Ingram Valley to Black Rigg
A dark zone for stars
Nights spent with the galaxy
Giant scopes spot Venus and Mars
At sea we have cobles, fishing boats
Sail craft, lobster potters
See them motoring along
Complete with coastal plotters
They all have their stories
Shanties and tales
From ‘Where have you been, Billy Boy’
To ghost ships with sails
Stories of drama and rescue
In high winds and storm
Often out all night
Returning at dawn
Our volunteer lifeboats
Community backbone day and night
We raise money to support them
In the elements they fight
To save lives at sea or
On the rugged coast
The stories of saving souls
Are ones enjoyed the most
Ms. Darling and her father
Years ago in storms of hail
Rowed out for a paddle-steamer
Crashing on rocks which can impale
Nine crew members
Were saved in that storm
And from that historical act
The lifeboat movement was born
On land now with ghostly Border reivers
Who in tales still roam the hills
To bloodthirsty barons
With dungeons and chambers which send chills
The rivers are winding
Tweed, Coquet, Aln and Tyne
The green fields and copses
The presence of wildlife, a good sign
There is beautiful Coquet Island
Vistas of historical delight
A wild bird haven,
Puffins and terns taking flight
Holy Island of Lindisfarne
Captures the rural romance
Beating tides on the causeway
A twice daily ritual dance
Archery, birds of prey
Are outdoor delights
The Cheviots blooming with heather
Sunsets light up autumn nights
Take a hike up the coastal trail
Visiting hostelries as you go
In summer outdoor venues
hold festivals, concerts or a show
The best fish and chips
found on this coast
Award-winning pubs
The villages can boast
Take flight on a broomstick
At Alnwick Castle for kids
Poison Garden, willow maze, fountains,
an enchanting cultural fix
This place is unique
Carved from nature and human hand
This place I love
This is Northumberland.
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During COVID-19, Alison Arrowsmith chose to retire and truly get herself as fit as she possibly could, after a career spanning 40 years as a nurse/account manager and therapist.