Seaside Excursion (in the 1950s)

The engine has built up a head of steam,

A green flag waves; we hear the whistle scream,

And, gathering speed, the whole train pulls away

To take us to the seaside for a day.

The journey drags, the children fight,

We smack their heads and tell them “Be polite’,

And then the youngest child starts to spew

And Mother has to take him to the ll.

Our destination reached, we disembark,

Make for the beach via the Public Park,

And, on the sand, to drive us all away

The Silver Band begins to play

There’s sand and Punch and Judy on the shore

And donkey rides, a million pleasures more –

And from a small arcade upon the pier

The sound of fruit machines insults the ear.

There’s rock, and hats inviting “Kiss me Quick”’

There are con artists up to every trick,

We sit upon the front and watch the ships,

Punish our guts with gritty fish and chips.

There’s sand and jellied eels and candy floss,

The kids have run away, but they’re no loss

And there’s a huge and gloomy public house –

What better place to suffer and carouse?

There’s jellied eels and fish and chips:

We lean upon the rail and watch the ships.

Our challenged stomachs churn in angry motion

Like fragile barques upon a storm-swept ocean.

With spinning heads and innards racked with pain,

We stagger to the station and the train.

In spite of all, we’ve enjoyed the sport,

And never mind that now we’re one kid short.

Brian Burden.