Tarn Howes
(1st April 1956)
Mountains stand against the sky,
Fluffy clouds go sailing by,
There below 'twill always lie -
Tarn Howes
Fir trees on the mountains grow,
Branches waving to and fro',
Lying quietly there below -
Tarn Howes
In the water fishes swim,
Flash of tail and then a fin,
Jumping out and diving in -
Tarn Howes
Skylarks soar into the sky,
In its form the hare doth lie,
Violets on the shore, so shy -
Tarn Howes
On the rocks the buzzards cry,
Through the elm the wind doth sigh,
Dusk descends and night draws nigh -
Tarn Howes.
The owls all soar into the night,
The moon comes up and gives a light,
Lying there a silent sight,
Tarn Howes.
This poem was written on Easter Sunday, April 1st 1956, when I was still nine. The first two verses were written "on site", the others added later at home. The family were visiting the Lake District and we went to Tarn Howes on a lovely day when the tarn looked wonderful. I already loved the Lake District. No doubt these early visits and the feelings they provoked encouraged me to make many subsequent visits, often with Steve Walthall, hiking, camping, fell-walking and rock climbing at all seasons of the year. The meter of the verse is quite interesting, and I remember that I felt it was "right". All in all, not a bad effort for a nine year old boy. "Tarn Howes" was printed in the church magazine of St. Chad's, New Moston. Fame at last!