SAINT GEORGE’S FEAST DAY

 

The feast day of Saint George

Also known as Saint George's Day

Is the National Day in England

Though not a Bank Holiday

Saint George is the patron Saint

Of patriotic Englishmen

 

His feast day is April 23rd

Uncanny Tales – (099) Heart of Oak

 

It’s 1660 and after the death of the puritan tyrant Cromwell the monarchy has been restored under Charles the II.

In the south of England, the summer is fading as the land is hastened into autumn.

Jay’s and squirrels compete in the oak forests for the acorns both burying them in the rich earth in store for the winter ahead.

 

“It’s cold, very cold and wet” It said to itself “and I can’t see anything.”

This went on for some time although how much time it was unable to say as it had no means by which to measure.

On some days it was impossible to move as the penetrating cold held it vice like.

On others it is awash and almost floating.

Then things felt different it was warmer and it was changing, and a most peculiar feeling came over it.

There was a tearing sensation, and it was moving upwards, and it was getting warmer and warmer.

All of a sudden it wasn’t dark anymore.

The acorn had burst forth from the rich earth as a seedling oak.

The seedling felt fantastic and the feelings it was experiencing were like no others it had ever felt before.

Then came the time to survey its new surroundings it was in an open space surrounded by huge oak trees one of which had produced the acorn from which it emerged.

The ground was dappled with golden patches which moved from place to place.

Beyond the huge oaks were more open spaces and more mighty oaks as far as it could see.

In the other open spaces, there were more seedlings also taking in their new situations.

But apart from the trees there were creatures of various shapes and sizes from small things with lots of legs to large four-legged creatures and other that flew in the air.

Some creatures actually ate the smaller ones.

The very big creatures occasionally trampled the tiny seedlings, it was not looking forward to that.    

On the whole the seedling thought its new situation was very nice indeed.

However, it had not yet experienced rain, hail, wind, fog, frost, and snow.

 

It’s now 1760 and mad King George III takes to the throne where he remains for sixty years.

 

The seedling is now a strong young oak, young and in it prime and does not fear the trampling beasts of the forest.

Its view is still restricted to the surrounding Oaks and clearings although he now towers over the latest crop of seedlings.

Some of the once mighty oaks lay broken on the ground brought down by a combination of age and wind or the weight of snow.

These are now the habitat of the many legged creatures.

 

1860 and Queen Victoria rules the land and times they are a changing a revolution is taking place, the industrial revolution and this revolution is driven by great wood burning machines.

 

The oak is now middle aged and stout it is now among the tallest trees in its part of the forest though its view is relatively unchanged, for now.

The oak has noticed the air tastes different and there is a sound in the distance that was not there before.

Everything else remains the same the creatures come and go until one day a new creature arrives it is four legged but only uses two the oak does not like this creature. it smells different, it smells of death.

The two legged one was the first of many, but they all had the same smell.

 

1960 Queen Elizabeth II is on the throne and again the land stands on the brink of another revolution this time it’s the sexual revolution where the world dives headlong into a spiral of depravity.

 

The oak stands in a small wood he is the largest and grandest of the trees remaining.

The two-legged ones devoured the old forest for their machines which drove their revolution and their wars.

All those many years the oak craved to see beyond the other oaks and clearings now craved only the old views.

 

2005 Queen Elizabeth II still reigns the land, but it is now a land where the people have learned the value of what nature is are resolved to protect what they have left and if possible, add to it and are full of optimism for the future.

    

Our oak now stands a full 70 feet tall and proudly looks down upon a new forest, a young forest of seedlings and saplings.

Our oak is old and tired, but it is content that the forest which it knows it will never see mature knows all the same that mature it will.

One day when it has been felled by the wind or the weight of snow and it becomes the habitat for the many legged ones it will return to the enrich the earth from whence it came those many years ago.

It may well be that once the Jays and squirrels have competed for the crop of acorns it will again burst forth from the rich earth as a seedling oak.

 

IT RAINS IN ENGLAND

England has a reputation for being wet

And it’s a well-deserved one I fear

And the simple reason for that is that

The Queen has reigned so many years 

BE ENGLISH

 

Celebrate the victory

With your piers

Drown the woes of foes

In English beer

Sing loud the songs of triumph

Whisper low of near disasters

Be magnanimous in victory

Be humble in defeat

Be proud, be loud

Be English

ALADDIN’S WISH

Aladdin rubbed his lamp

And a Genie did appear

You can have one wish

But only one he made clear

 

“I want to live forever”

Aladdin told the genie.
“I’m sorry” Came the reply

“You can’t wish for immortality”

 

“Living forever

Is against the regulations

You must think again

And revise your expectation”

 

“Do you have your wish?”

Aladdin answered “Yup”

“I want to live to see

England win the World Cup”

IS THERE ANY GREATER PLACE ON EARTH?

 

When June comes fourth upon us

Is there any greater place on earth?

Than England’s green and pleasant land

Surely nowhere of similar worth

 

When the breeze gently stirs the grass

And the sun is in the clear blue sky

Is there any greater place on earth?

You could look abroad, but why?

BEING AN ENGLAND SUPPORTER

 

Being an England supporter

At a World Cup or Euro’s melee

Is likened to over-optimistic parents

Of the fat kid on sports day

SCOTTISH INDEPENDENCE # 2

As a proud Briton

I will be disappointed

In a strange way

 

Not if Scotland leaves

But more so

That Wales will stay

SCOTTISH INDEPENDENCE # 1

 

As a proud Briton

I will be disappointed

If Scotland chose to go

 

As an Englishman

I’ll be disappointed

If they vote no

THE FOURTEEN HOLY HELPERS – GEORGE

The Fourteen Holy Helpers are a group of saints venerated together in Roman Catholicism because their intercession was believed to be particularly effective against various diseases.

This group of “helpers in need” originated in 14th century Rhineland, due largely as a result of the epidemic that grew to become the Black Death, but their veneration spread almost as quickly as the plague

Saint George was a Greek who became an officer in the Roman army.

His father was the Greek Gerondios from Cappadocia, Asia Minor, while his mother was from the city Lydda, which was a Greek city in Palestine dating from the times of the conquest of Alexander the Great.

It was ironic that George became an officer in the Roman army in the Guard of Diocletian who was ultimately the emperor who put him to death for his beliefs.

He has a great many Patronages around the world, as well as a wide range of professions, organizations and disease sufferers and domestic animals.

St Georges Day is celebrated on April 23rd. 

THE DRAGON SLAYER

 

Long, long ago in an eastern land

There did a heathen city stand

A city besieged by a malevolent beast

Who upon the people’s flesh did feast

Poisoning victims with rancid breath

The dragon then consumed their flesh

The Kings own daughter a maiden fair

Would be sacrificed at the dragon’s lair

In bridal white which showed virginity

She embraced her fate with dignity

Then came George a chivalrous night

Upon the field the creature to fight

 

The beast reared up he took his chance

And disabled the dragon with his lance

The wounded beast fell to the ground

He captured it then and had it bound

He would kill it if that they yearned

If the people to Christianity turned

When fifteen thousand souls agreed

He dispatched the dragon from his steed

So, a legend born in Christian prayer

The tale of George the dragon slayer

GEORGE OF LYDDA

 

Emperor of Rome Diocletian

Persecuted people’s Christian

And in the Roman Empire wide

Were the Christian martyrs tried

 

George the champion knight

Bearer of Christendom’s light

Tried for love of Christ divine

Was put to death in Palestine

 

Seven hundred years had gone

The Crusaders holy war raged on

When defeat at Antioch was feared

A vision of Saint George appeared

 

The English soldiers rallying

Fighting brave for God and King

Against the odds with fewer men

They win victory over the Saracen

 

Champion knight of Christendom

The patron saint of our kingdom

George the saint both now and then

The patron saint of Englishmen

SALISBURY VIEW

 

The late September sun

Bathed the water meadow

As sheep graze the lammas

In stark relief against the blue

Like a great golden arrow

The spire points heavenward

EURO TRASH

After another dismal round of European qualifiers
I think its time for a change
There are too may countries now
So I propose something radical
Norway and Sweden should merge
To become Swedway or Norden
Spain and Portugal could become
Sportugal, Porpain or Spugal
Denmark and Finland would be Finmark
Belgium and Holland would become Belland
Germany and Austria would either be
Gerstria or the fourth reich
The Balkan states could reform as Yugoslavia
Greece and Turkey could be Treece or Gurkey
The USSR could regroup, for sporting reasons only of course
And the home nations could combine to become England

NEWLANDS CORNER

Newlands Corner
Is one of my most favourite places
I’ve always loved it there
When I look out across the patchwork
Of rolling Surrey Hills,
The chalk grasslands
The ancient woodlands
And the villages nestling there
I feel a deep calm and peace
Penetrating my soul
It’s almost overwhelming
Like the weight of the world
Is lifted from my shoulders
It as if His hand on my shoulder

I LOVE IT AT THE SEASIDE

I love it at the seaside out of season
When the bathers are not there
The beaches are no longer sun kissed
The sands are empty and bare

I love it at the seaside
On a bright sunny winters day
When you can stroll along
With out people getting in the way

You pick your way along the shore
Picking up driftwood and shells
Skim stones across the water
Without soliciting angry yells

I love it at the seaside
The deck chairs are all stored away
On the sea front all is quiet
And the car park is free all day

I love it at the seaside
The shops are shut and battened down
All the amusement arcades are shut
But not the Rose and Crown

IS THERE ANY GREATER PLACE ON EARTH?

When June comes fourth upon us
Is there any greater place on earth?
Than England’s green and pleasant land
Surely nowhere of similar worth

When the breeze gently stirs the grass
And the sun is in the clear blue sky
Is there any greater place on earth?
You could look abroad, but why?

I LOVE THIS LAND

I love this land, village and hamlet
Rose covered cottage, church and mill
I love this land, coast and country
Mountain and lake, vale and hill

I love this land, town and city
Seat of power, cathedral and mall
I love this land, north and south
River and stream, grand and small

I love this land, old and new
Castle and semi, factory and farm
I love this land, this England of mine
This modern, historic, country of charm