This selection of poems by Marie Horridge is published in the Spotlight Poets Anthology 'A Drop of Ink'.

Find out more about Spotlight Poets

Marie Horridge

I am from Burry Port, near Llanelli, South West Wales. I have been privileged to live here all my life. I am married to Ken, and I have two children, Tony and Julie-Kim. The area in which we live is steeped in history, Amelia Earhart landed here in 1928, and Cromwell held court here. Behind us are beautiful mountainous countryside, in front of us are blue flag beaches. There are Norman churches here, an ancient harbour and a few miles down the road in Kidwelly a stunning Norman castle. This truly is a beautiful and very interesting area to live in. I have been writing poetry since the age of seven, but never kept any of my work until four years ago. My husband insisted that I write them down in a notebook. He then persuaded me to send one to our local newspaper, Llanelli/Burry Port Star. When they published my poem my confidence grew enough to enter the Forward Press challenge, I was delighted when they also published my poem. I try to write about almost any subject. My favourite subjects are comical childhood events, local history and current events. I would like to give special thanks to Ken for his encouragement to the Llanelli Star for boosting my confidence, and to Forward Press for the icing on the cake.

World of Fears

Hijacked air plane in the sky
Becomes a deadly weapon.
Mother, father, innocent child
Cast violently to heaven.
Manhattan twins, tower tall
Pride of New York's horizon.
Air plane pierced, down they fall
We taste the bitter poison.
Falling rubble, human debris
Twisted metal shards.
Victims with no time to flee
The crumbling house of cards.
The terrorist armed with a gun
Alas a cross we bear.
Proud of the evil he has done
For life he has no care.
Torment ripping through this earth
With hearts reduced to tears.
Many regret their day of birth
Into this world of fears.

Top

Crushed Valley

She sits upon a graveside
She says your mam is here
She cannot hide the pain inside
She's lost all she holds dear.

More than 100 mothers
Are weeping by her side
Due to the mistakes of others
All their children have died.

The coal board had been tipping
The coal waste up too high
The mountain started slipping
Meaning all below could die.

Down into the valley
The mount began to slide
Engulfing a little school
With the children still inside.

After every frantic effort
So many wouldn't survive
A parent's worst nightmare
Seeing their children buried alive.

This is the painful story
Of the day a mountain fell
It sent the village of Aberfan
Into a permanent hell.

God bless the people of Aberfan
Give them peace and ease their pain
Through them may we learn a lesson
It must never happen again.

Top

Dylan's Laugharne

The peace and the tranquillity
Overflowing there in Laugharne
Its beautiful serenity
Inspired a poet of a man.

The poet saw the splendour
That bejewels Laugharne's domain
And there in nature's parlour
He will eternally remain.

The boat house on the cliffside
A place the pilgrim seeks
And the churchyard on the hillside
Is where sweet Dylan sleeps.

I entered the old churchyard
Within was Dylan's tomb
I knelt beside his graveside
I laid a scarlet bloom.

Oh Laugharne - dear Laugharne
You have great claim to fame
Dylan Thomas rests within you
Forever hold his name.

Top

Can You Adam and Eve it?

I once read the bible
From one end to the other
A mystery within its leaves
Soon would I discover.

It starts when God made Adam
Earth's first and only man
From Adam's rib he then made Eve
And that's how life began.

Adam he made love to Eve
From this there came two sons
The bible then made me believe
That they were the only ones.

Abel was their good son
A kind and loving boy
But Cain he was a bad son
Was the devil he'd employ.

Poor Abel he was murdered
By his brother evil Cain
Abel's soul cried out to God
By my brother's hand I'm slain.

With great anger our Lord God
Put a mark on evil Cain
He banished him to the land of nod
Saying don't come back again.

When Cain arrived in the land of nod
He fell in love and wed
This was where with the book of God
I began to lose my head.

The bible says that God has made
One man, one woman, that's two
Then together they made two sons
And one got wed . . . to who?

Top

My Sailor of the Sea

(A Tribute to ex-merchant seaman 
Tony Thacker)

From the moment of his birth
He has had one destiny
He was to sail the seas of earth
My sailor of the sea.

He has sailed across the sea
He has walked on foreign soil
Working hard aboard the ships
To him was never toil.

He has sailed to lands afar
The whole world his destiny
The freedom of the brightest star
Had my sailor of the sea.

He will sit and dream awhile
Of those distant shores he's seen
On his face there is a smile
As he thinks of where he's been.

Today he walks on earth and mud
Those days a memory
Still carrying sea salt in his blood
My sailor of the sea.

Top

Heaven Blessed

They may try, but they'll not hurt me
For I am shielded by great affection
No pain can ever harm me
For great love is my protection.

My empty purse is lined with happiness
My humble home holds those who care
And I know that I am heaven blessed
With a sweet love that's always there.

As I walk this rocky path called life
There are so many things I've learned
To be their mother and to be his wife
Is the greatest accolade, I have earned.

If my dreams should ever shatter
They are the treasures I still possess
Only their love will ever matter
Yes, I am truly heaven blessed.

And where'er this life may take me
You'll not see me break down and cry
For I will be blessed with my dear family
Right up until the day I die.

Top

Baby Blues

Brand new baby just arrived
Mum is getting snappy
Daddy tries to run and hide
When it's time to change the nappy.

Mummy shouts - oh no you don't
Come back and do your bit
Dad replies I shan't, I won't
I can't stand baby shit.

Time for baby's night-time feed
Dad makes the mixture thick
Baby spews it back at speed
And smothers Dad with sick.

Next it's baby's bath time
Babe will kick and splash
Dad will do the job just fine
Till baby soaks his pants.

Desperate for their bedtime
Mum and Dad deprived of sleep
Baby thinks it's playtime
So they both break down and weep.

At long last babe falls asleep
On his face an angelic smile
His worn out mam and dad agree
That it has all been worthwhile.

Top

Flying Taxi

He doesn't own a plane
Helicopter or a glider
Gareth Kingdon is his name
And he is a taxi driver.

He was told to take a fare
To Pembrey Motor Sport
After he had dropped off there
He drove into Pembrey Airport.

He taxied down the runway
Unable to take off
He hadn't meant to go that way
And now he'd become quite lost.

I think someone should tell him
Taxis taxi on the roads
And taxis never taxi
Down the runway at airports.

Top

Empty Shell

Henry was my tortoise
He was a lovely pet
You would never hear his voice
For he was always quiet.

Just before each winter
We would make a nest
'Twas Henry's hibernation time
In winter he would rest.

I would be looking forward
To the winter's end
For spring would reunite me
With Henry my dear friend.

One springtime Henry's wakening
Seemed to be delayed
When I checked on Henry
I was so dismayed.

His nest was full of maggots
There was a filthy smell
Sadly no more Henry
Just his empty shell.

Top

The Pussy Rat

When I was only three years old
One bright and sunny day
I made Grandad's blood run cold
In the garden where I played.

It darted here, it darted there
I wondered what was that
Then it jumped into the air
Was that a pussy cat.

I caught it and I held it tight
I would not let it go
It gave Grandad a big fright
He said drop it - I said no.

He cried, that's not a pussy cat
Please listen to what I say
You are cuddling a filthy rat
Now let it run away.

I got scrubbed from head to toe
My skin was red and sore
And I never wanted pussy rats
To play with anymore.

Top

Oh No - Teddy Edward

I loved my scruffy teddy bear
Edward was his name
Then one day Edward wasn't there
I searched for him in vain.

Bonfire night had arrived
And my dad had made a guy
I was in for a nasty surprise
And it would make me cry.

We stood around the fire's glow
In flames the guy was burning
And very soon I was to know
With my teddy dad has stuffed him.

Oh no - my teddy Edward
Was stuffed inside the guy
When I saw him burning
All I could do was cry.

In the flames of the bonfire
My teddy Edward sat
How could my wicked daddy
Treat my teddy bear like that.

Top