8th October 2026 • The HERALD • Page 81 v INDEPENDENT, LOCAL AND PROUD v Poets Corner A True Friend to All by Mike Bennett© The End of Summer by Marian Connolly© You’re so helpful, so thoughtful, so kind Friends like you are not easy to nd You stand out from the rest As you’re one of the best We feel blessed that our lives are entwined For good fortune, we sense, that you thirst With bad luck, though, you seem to be cursed Better times you await ough there’s no exact date At some point, in fate’s queue, you’ll come rst You appear in the midst of it all Cos your friends know on you we can call For your help and support Such good friends can’t be bought And we know that you’re strong and won’t fall It’s patent how dearly you care For your friends by the time that you spare As you help with our needs You’re a person of deeds And your heart you are willing to share ough your heart may be heavy like lead Please think back in the years far ahead Know it’s friends such as you at have pulled others through And recall these true words that we’ve said. Well the heat drove everyone round the bend My friends were all hot and bothered We wondered if it would ever end Would we once again see rain and morning dew Something to cool us down, phew! The dry lawns made us sad A hosepipe ban made folk mad We prayed for rain, for us, for the animals, For the farmers and for our wonderful firefighters And here’s the rain, we’ll make sure we treasure every drop and appreciate every Splish, Spash Splosh! SUNSET by David K Wilson© I watch the sun setting low on the water At the end of a beautiful day I see a bouquet of colour constantly changing A pathway of light ‘cross the bay It’s hard to believe this scene happens daily Perfection in action some say But the pressures of life stop me watching it o en More o en clouds block the way People to see and places to go Life gets more frantic each day Yet “me” time is special so do take a moment And gather your thoughts on the way Moments like these I can scarcely believe It’s the doorway to heaven some say To be bathed in the light of the sun on the water At the end of a beautiful day! NEW DAY by David K Wilson© A new day is dawning On the eastern horizon e rst ngers of light are appearing From our life force Our sun Watch as it gently it rises So slowly and gracefully As we continue transcending the heavens Shedding new light on all that we are On everything we know As it always has As we pray it always will Imagine for one moment at our source of light and life Our only life giving force Were to cease rising As it has every day For millions of years If it were to implode or explode Would we survive? Could we survive? Alas we would not We would quickly perish But Earth would continue On its predestined pathway To encircle our now dying sun Drawn ever closer And becoming unbearably hot Uninhabitable Similar to other planets In our Galaxy Science informs us this is a possibility But hopefully far into the future So never waste a day Value every moment Every second of time Life as we know it is very special It’s unique and precious Appreciate every sunrise Stand in awe When you view a beautiful sunset Celebrate life at every opportunity Always remembering Life is not a rehearsal It is unique And it’s now In each and every moment! Don’t run, don’t run It’s just for fun. To play the game and win. To pick and choose And sometimes loose It never was a sin. With give and take And some heartache Life’s span will soon pass by. So share the load Along the road It’s easy if you try. Now take it slow And as you go Time will see you through For in the end We all must bend It’s simply up to you. The Game of Life by Jim Dolbear© MUSIC IN ROMSEY e next concert at Romsey Abbey takes place on Saturday 7th November, 7.30pm, for Mass in Blue - Romsey Choral Society. is concert celebrates the meeting of choral tradition and jazz vitality. Bob Chilcott’s A Little Jazz Mass blends sacred text with rhythmic sparkle and blues-in ected harmony. A jazz trio set showcases improvisatory air at the heart of the style. Will Todd’s Mass in Blue, with the composer at the keyboard, brings the programme together in a powerful fusion of gospel, jazz, and choral expression. On Saturday 12th December, 7.30pm, is the Romsey Youth Choir Christmas Concert. A wonderful evening of Christmas music from Romsey Youth Choir, Romsey Youth Chamber Choir and Romsey Youth Children’s Choir. Tickets are available on 7th November. On Friday 18th December, 7.30pm, Wassail! - Romsey Singers. Popular carols for choir and audience from the Romsey Singers. Tickets are available from: ticketsource.co.uk/ musicinromsey or from Oasis, Church Street (01794 512194). The Ampfield Market e Market is always held on the first Saturday of the month excluding January and August which are holiday months. It takes place in Amp eld Village Hall (SO51 9BJ), between 10am and 12 noon. Parking and admission are free. e Market has become a very popular meeting place, o ering the best value, most delicious refreshments in Hampshire! Every e ort is made to keep the sales tables lively and interesting. ere are top quality, locally sourced items for sale including cakes, biscuits, savoury foods, honey, fresh bread, eggs, plants, fruit and veg, cra s, books, cards, wrapping paper, jewellery and collectables. ey order their fruit and veg from Hansards a very reputable local supplier and they endeavour to sell a good variety of fresh, seasonal produce every month. ey are delighted that Matt’s Bakery in Chandlers Ford is now supplying their bread each month. e Market generates almost £3,000 a year towards Village Hall funds. e Market team generously volunteer their time and baking skills to provide a delicious seasonal selection of cakes every month, which are served with co ee and tea throughout the morning. e next Amp eld Market will take place 7th November between 10am-12noon. Date for your diary: 5th December. If you would like to rent a table in the future or would just like more general information, then please contact Julie Trotter via: julie@amp eld.org.uk Abbotswood Local Nature Reserve (LNR), located in Romsey (SU364228) will be holding a veg management session on Wednesday 11th November from 10am-1pm along Romsey barge canal, meet New Road car park. Abbotswood LNR, located adjacent to the Abbotswood development, has been designated primarily due to the presence of great crested newts, a European protected species. e site contains a host of interesting habitats, including wetlands, ancient semi- natural woodland and grassland. ese support a wealth of wildlife. e site also boasts veteran oak trees, estimated to be over 300 years old and each a home to hundreds of other species, making them a hugely important part of the site. Wilder Romsey is a local conservation group working in and around Romsey. For more information, visit: www.romseytc.org.uk/wilder-romsey.html VEG MANAGEMENT SESSION
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