Defences Were Down In The Past Poem by Joyce Hemsley

Defences Were Down In The Past



Drastic floods were here to haunt us
and plague our countryside
towns and cities had lost the fight
to hold back the rising tide.

As we entered the twenty-first century
We should have been more aware
taking heed from bygone times
when people lived through despair.

In the severe winter of 'forty-seven'
the river Trent let Nottingham down;
waters stretched for miles and miles
marooning houses, flooding the town.

The river had reached its highest point
animals were lost and deserted
lifeboats were manned to give people help
scouts and volunteers were alerted.

Looking down from top-floor windows
flood waters reflected the moon
this gave a slight feeling of mystery
to relieve depression and gloom.

At vital points along the embankment
river width and depth were increased;
sluices and drainage were soon set in place
so the worst of the flooding ceased.

Later, in the year two thousand
we endured more terrible floods
but the Trent was taking a back seat then
York and Gloucester 'sank in the mud'


Written in the year 2001
Included in the anthology.
'Instinctive Rhyme'

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Joyce Hemsley

Joyce Hemsley

Portsmouth England
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