The Poems of William Chives

THE PRESENT READING DESK      COLONEL ALLAN RICHARDSON

ENTRANCE TO PLAYING FIELD      LEST WE FORGET      THE OLD SEXTON'S PEW

Another pew is gone I see, by chancel step on left,

And lo, a noble bird doth stand, on rocks all neatly cleft;

An eagle bold with wings outspread,

All neatly carved, e'en beak and head.

The talons too be truly shaped,

The body too with feathers draped.

While on it's back, neath Holy Book,

Is plate with name on, take a look.

But hand that Book with reverent care,

While viewing items noted there.

That year t'was given, that is thereon,

The donor? Colonel Richardson.

He, second son of late Village Squire,

To help this Church had keen desire.

Other memorials of him will stay,

Which men will view in future day;

So come, my friend along with me,

In thought, awhile, the same to see,

See - here within this parish bound,

Good workmen's houses may be found,

Yea many a labourer's home today,

Is better since he came this way.

See- there be parlour snug within,

Where, when long winter nights begin,

When having toiled all day with zest,

His family may in comfort rest.

His castle true, and home.

We ramble next to Muddles Green,

Where yet another may be seen.

One here can view yon playing field,

Which doth to youngsters pleasure yield.

They there may play with heart's content,

The like of which, by God was meant.

There be one thing, friend, I'd make quite clear,

He gave the cost of entrance here -

A kindly act, and noble deed,

To children, when from lessons freed,

From school right opposite.

See here's a plate on right-hand pillar,

Let's stop and read the writing,

Whilst for benefit of all infirm,

The same I'll be reciting.

This entrance gate was given we see,

In month of May, "Kings Jubilee".

The date of month was on the sixth,

A date on which my mind is fixed.

T'is plain to see by all alive,

The year was 1935.

These wrought iron gates, with pillars bold,

Cost fifty pounds, so I am told.

While round inscription shield we see,

Are epigrams in number three.

"Fear God" we read is number one,

"Honour the King" is number two,

"Play the Game" is number three,

All fitting, my friends for me and thee.

The Village Squire did love this church,

And oft would give donations,

He and his house each Sabbath helped,

To enlarge the congregations.

He and his wife, with loving hearts,

Would help the poor when needing,

With vitals hot, whate'er they'd got,

The same would oft be feeding .

Should thou look o'er each entrance door,

A tablet there thou'lt find -

To his memory, and of his dear wife,

Who strived to live a godly life

Yea - none better e' er was found.

They two young sons did leave behind,

Whose hearts hath proved both good and kind.

See they hath carried on the work,

Their parents ne'er was known to shirk.

By right of birth, and etiquette,

The youngest should be second,

But having let my thoughts go stray,

I find I have mis-reckoned

"I apologize".

For if thou look on previous page,

Thou will see I have made mention

Of acts of the one of lesser age,

Which was not my intention, yet,

With due respect to elder one,

I thus-wise will continue;

So please be kind, and bear in mind,

Forgiveness dwells within you.

The chancel steps seems longer too,

"Ah" - see they've shifted sexton's pew;

Shifted I said, but it be gone

And now to fill its place there's none.

My father used it fifteen years, -

To miss it now, would cause him tears,

Me-thinks that fact he would bemoan,

To lose the pew he called his own.

One fears he'd shun the alteration,

For he sat and faced the congregation;

One seems to hear him now, as then,

At end of prayers, say, loud "Amen".

Time passes on, our dear ones too,

Whilst scenes of old, give place to new;

Their form to one be lost to view,

But sweet memories still live on.

The choir-stalls now investigate,

They too have changed somewhat of late;

The foremost part, with book-rests on,

Which once was there, be now clean gone,

And in their place ,-"yea" I be right

One now beholds unpleasant sight,

For see, they're made of common wood,

Unlike the back-part which be good,

Too, they be apt to go awry

When touched by folks in passing-by,

"Again"- if thou should be on colour keen

Thou soon will gather what I mean

For unkindly thoughts, I'd ne'er imply

But the tone is wrong to critic's eye.

Maybe the folks that put them there,

For goodly taste had little care.

Me-thinks they too might take offence,

And say t'was done to save expense,

But, do all work well t'is best by far,

Than to spoil the ship through lack of tar.

Ah, now my soul's with rapture filled, a craving old with balm instilled;

For - through someone's deed, both good and gracious,

This sacred spot is made more spacious, than in the days of old.

Now as my mem'ry serves me rightly, a point on which I'm certain,

For many years yon wall looked cold,

Where now hangs lovely curtain, .at back of Altar there.

The Altar too is better now, well made and nicely shaped,

Each Sabbath, and on festal days,

With costly frontals draped. Another gift I vow.

The space which I made mention of, surrounding base of Altar

Gives ample room to move about, with steps which need ne'er falter,

But in days of old when I was young, late Vicar had an ankle wrung

While proceeding to the altar rail, to note the drop in floor did fail,

Which might have proved more fatal;

For those two marks in wall we see, is where that rail once used to be.

Again the altar rail is new,

And of deep and warmest tone,

Methinks the folks whose choice was thus,

Had taste to match my own.

There be other points of interest

On which I'd gladly write,

The Coat of Arms, or Escutcheon there,

Memorials, left and right.

But should'st thou care to read thyself,

Thou wilt find the lettering good,

Those mentioned there had noted wealth,

Long years their name hath stood.

I fear I might thy patience try,

And prove to be a bore

Should I quote items still untold

Of which there be a score.

Turn thyself about my friend,

Real beauty to behold,

Through yonder noble belfry arch,

The sunset wrapped in gold;

That noble arch is one of fame, 

It's height and architecture

Is in itself a lovely sight

With gorgeous setting sun at night,

Makes rare unrivalled picture.

Prior to leaving Chancel here,

One might well draw attention,

To memorial slabs beneath one's feet,

With names too vast to mention,

They follow on down centre aisle,

Well nigh to western end,

And moments spent on reading them,

Is time well spent my friend.

Those huge white globes for giving light,

Seem somewhat strange to me,

For in the days of long ago,

Hung candlelabras three.

I own it was a tedious task,

To light and keep them clean,

For each one was adorned with sticks,

A dozen, or eighteen;

While at the close of Evening Prayer,

When all had been snuffed out,

One then must needs to wipe around,

Where grease had spluttered out.

But later on the Council met,

To discuss a means of lighting,

Whereby it would much cleaner be,

And also prove inviting,

For oft when singing closing hymn,

When sun had gone to rest

T'was found the lights were far too dim,

And the best of sight would test.

The purchase then of lamps was made,

Which proved full worth the while,

For one hung in yon chancel there,

And two in middle aisle;

But oft the church was very full,

And though those lamps would fling,

Their beams far out on either side,

T'was dark in southern wing.

The cost of these, the central three,

Was o'er two pounds a piece

And gave a light of candle-power,

Three hundred each at least (360)

But here a word of praise is due,

To those who fixed the light

We view, for not only is it cheap and bright,

But floods the church with lovely light. (Electric)