Sharville Christmas NewsPoem 2023
September, wet and windy as I write,
Suggests to me that Summer's taken flight.
Yet we are promised sun upon
Hove's wicket
For one last match this season watching cricket.
It's been a tough one, though we have enjoyed
Our team's emerging talent; we are buoyed
With knowledge there are future stars within
The squad, who we'll support through thick and thin.
The annual Cheltenham Cricket Festival
And the Three Choirs in Gloucester Cathedral
Came at the same time. Perfect for us, who
Delight in cricket and in music too!
Our holidays have been away games. Best
Was Trent Bridge, five days of the Women's Test,
And Tammy Beaumont, Ade's fave, scored not one
Sole century but two – a double ton!
We went with Bob and Jan, our lovely friends
With whom we go to home games. Summer ends
As the last ball is bowled on the last day
Each season. Then a bonus came my way!
At Hove I got a message from a friend
About the gala meal at season's end
At which the players would receive awards.
(This was to be at Bristol – not at Lord's!)
The sender knew that Jan and I would go,
And said that he would really like to know
If we would give out the Supporter's cup
For "Player of the Year". I just welled up!
I felt so honoured that they thought to ask
Me and my friend to carry out this task.
We did it! Ollie Price the winner here,
(We'll see much more of this guy, never fear!)
Enough of cricket! (Is that "good!" I hear?)
There clearly was more to the passing year,
With music, travels, gardening, photo-taking
And re-acquaintance with creative making.
I've learnt about fused glass, but sadly don't
Have (yet) a kiln to make more, so I won't,
Except at crafting workshops. But I can
At home make some
cyanotypes. I plan
To make the Christmas cards we'll send out thus
So you may get a one-off piece from us!
It really is the ideal thing for me,
This early version of photography.
To music. We saw Maddy Prior and
Her other group, the fab Carnival Band.
And Roddy Williams, and the ENO
For "Iolanthe". (Something I well know
From childhood, when the Chancellor I played.
The words of the whole "Nightmare Song" have stayed
Within my brain from that day up to this!)
And then some Poulenc that we could not miss.
We saw Focus again, still fabulous,
And Ian McKellan's crazy Mother Goose!
We visited the island of Jersey,
And sailed on the majestic "Waverley".
We saw Chris Hadfield – he's the astronaut
Who sang "Space Oddity" from space. We thought
How balanced and humane and kind he is.
World leaders, listen here: be more like Chris!
We've been to London several times this year;
One visit was a favourite piece to hear -
A Simon Rattle speciality -
The great "Turangalila" Symphony.
Our organist friend Ian played one night,
In Dawlish. We just timed our visit right!
Then Penarth Festival's "Pierrot Lunaire"
Was awesome – and performances are rare.
The every-two-year Southwell Sing took place,
While Southwell Minster's wide and open space
Was home to "Gaia", a huge spinning Earth.
So thought-provoking - what's our planet worth?
It has been lovely seeing friends and going
To places new and old, and always knowing
That friendship, sometimes after forty years
Can be re-kindled in a moment. Cheers!
We had some time with family as well.
My brother Richard and wife Isabelle
From Hong Kong called by, and were pleased to see
The Wye, and Tintern's lovely scenery.
An interesting show of sound and light
Brought brightness to a late October night,
As Bristol's great cathedral was the screen
For wonderful projections to be seen.
Ade's birthday celebration was jam-packed -
Three nights out on the bounce. First "Sister Act",
Then Focus (twice in one year!) Brilliant? Yes!
And following them, Jess Gillam's awesomeness!
We must record the saddest piece of news.
We never thought in two short months we'd lose
Mia and Donny – next door's cats – who spent
Much time with us, so happy, so content.
We have a drone show at the cricket ground
To go to in December, which is bound
To be another fascinating sight
As animals glow in the winter's night.
I'll finish there. There's lots that I've left out.
And next year will be fun, beyond a doubt!
We hope your Christmas, and your coming year,
Will be choc-full of joy, peace and good cheer.