Wessex Hymn
We used to play football on winter fields
on ice which hardly melted all the day long
by arches strung at a right angle to the Thames.
We used to play all summer long, or just a day
with tourists in Alexandra Gardens
careful of flower beds to a degree
as when we played by decades of greetings cards
faded into a single blue in the summerhouse
of our grandparents’ house in Ferndown.
We used to play under the relief road
‘tunnel amusement’, kicking the ball to the roof
on a road made safe by concrete bollards.
We used to play as if our lives were somewhere else
waiting for us, and I suppose they were.
We once played in Hamworthy Rec
pretending our names were ‘Paxo’ and ‘Oxo’
and though you became a professional
that game was lost to laughter unrestrained,
a total eclipse of cool by Poole Harbour.
Those were the games and ‘those were the days’
is what of the unrecoverable is said
but with a thought to multitudinous future games
and a son’s requested sea shanty in the lounge
I hear the first Mercian hymn echoing
in Wessex, heed its end and ‘sing it again.’
My Account
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Alex Saynor
8th October 2026
Clik The Mouse
7th October 2026
Clik The Mouse
4th October 2026
Denys E. W. Jones
2nd October 2026
joe morris
22nd September 2026
Crispin Thomas
21st September 2026
Alex Saynor
18th September 2026
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10th September 2026
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29th August 2026
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Latest Comments
28th July 2026 at 9:40 pm
Hi Denys. Thanks for your kind words. I could have mentioned Dixie Dean but decided not to.
Best wishes, mate
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26th July 2026 at 3:47 pm
Great knowledge of Everton history, Joe.
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23rd July 2026 at 6:54 pm
Hi Jason,
Sorry I forgot to congratulate you on your excellent poem as well.
Keep well
Joe
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23rd July 2026 at 6:43 pm
Hi Jason,
Thanks so much for your kind words about Kevin Keegan, a footballer of legendary status and deeply missed.
Best wishes
Joe
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23rd July 2026 at 12:01 pm
Thank you, Crispin. I will defo encorage my bunch to contribute and will of course clear it with staff room.
Many thanks
Jase
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22nd July 2026 at 6:48 pm
Great poem Jase.
You are a man of my own heart …
And great to hear that you your students poems from our site.
Keep on and more please
if ever some of your students write anything suitable for here and most importantly they give you permission to publish them, you can always do so under your name referencing their names and the school..and year.
Best Crispin
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22nd July 2026 at 10:29 am
I think this is best thing I have read so far about the legend. Thanks
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22nd July 2026 at 10:22 am
One of the greats, inspired my generation of school kids in the 80s
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23rd May 2026 at 3:35 pm
Hi Crispin,
Thanks for the featured poem for the Arsenal Premier League victory. I love that photo showing the Arsenal ladies and fans in full rattle and rosette mode. I’ve seen it before quite a few times and, I think, a bit iconic. I think it was before the Gunners victory against Liverpool in the 1950 FA Cup Final. Great photograph.
Thanks
Joe
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8th May 2026 at 4:21 pm
Thanks for that Joe. Yes it’s been some season we had a blip but came out of it and finished strong. A mate of mine supports West Ham here in Coventry and my next door neighbour is a Spurs supporter, and both are getting edgy ! I like the Championship though as it’s competitive and has some good teams, players, and fans. Anyway we are back in the top flight and who knows what will happen ?
Cheers. Kev.
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