Carbon capture - global warming..
With the smell of woodsmoke......
Deer park calling.
Green and pleasant land.
Castle trees.
Rain shower over Steep Holme.
The long view.
Up above.
Rich man in his castle - poor man at his gate.
St Georges.
Conygar tower.
Dunster village.
Dunster castle with the deer park in the background.
Garden
Two towers.
Sea view.
Conygar tower.
Light in the church garden.
Chapel and West Street.
All aglow.
West Street
Yarn market.
Church path.
Tower and chimney pots.
Park street shadow.
Aville bridges.
Blue bells and church bells.
For approx. 100 years Scouts and Guides of West Somerset celebrated St Georges Day with a parade and service in the St Georges parish church.
The following poem records some of my happy memories of attending some of these parades both as a scout and leader.
"St Georges Day-April 23rd"
April is the morning of another year
Sun and showers wash the grass
As the flowers appear.
April is the dawning of another day
Flags and banners lead the march
On its way to May.
Dunster is the venue white and red the flag
Yellow is the colour
Silver is the band.
Youth is ever cheerful, smiles and golden hair
White the socks are flashing
Past the giant’s chair.
All the crows are calling, natures in a rush
Like a Pipers Army
Spies a speckled thrush.
Through the village marching swings a happy band
Castle stands a staring
Market close at hand.
Hear the church bells calling, see the red cross wave
Slow the dancing tiny feet
Past the ancient grave.
From the warm spring sunshine hidden from its view
Many sweaty hands and heads
Touch the oaken pew.
Cool the rafters rising, join the songs of praise
Many voices singing
In their childhood days.
Swing the golden candles, dip the standards down
Remembered in the practice
See the Scouter frown.
Half remembered promises made again anew
See the Guider standing
Dressed in darker blue.
The colours are presented, Kneels a Brownie small
The sermons long forgotten
The Ventures long and tall.
The Anthem of the Nation, swirls against the wall
Standing near the doorway
Flags and pennants all.
Exit into sunshine all the eyes now squint
The blossom on the branches
A lighter shade of pink.
Hearts are even lighter, another duty done
Feel the cool winds fingers
Feel the warming sun.
Company Pack Troop and Unit assemble one by one
See their many colours
Hear their gentle hum.
Now the parade is joyful, now the hearts at ease
The spring in the step is quite natural
Flags flap on a gentle breeze.
See the many faces as the Market appears
Hear the cameras click and whine
Recording the passing years.
Now is all at a standstill, quiet the traffics whine
Just in an instant the faces
Record on the passage of time.
The days just a moment in memory Can I picture it, capture its truth
Yes, sometimes but only vaguely
The picture of yesterday’s youth.
A memory of a Dunster West Somerset St Georges Day Parade
By Ron Blundell
