Robert J Moore Poet Rhyme

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       Pennines UK

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The Journey

The Journey
by Robert J (Bob) Moore ©2020

We used to live in Manchester, in England, the UK
till one day our dad said, we’re going to move away
Australia’s where were going to, a land of sand and sun
with lots of jobs, and lots of space, a life there will be fun

I didn’t really want to go, at 18 my life was here
but dad had made his mind up, he made that very clear
it’s all or none he said to me, we go together or, we stay
so we agreed we all would go, and I’d return home one day

We caught a train to London, and as we crossed the Pennine Chain
little did I think, that I would not see them again
I’d hiked and camped all over them, since I was just a lad
Glossop, Hayfield, Kinder Scout, and all the fun we’d had

The train got to St Pancras, in the early morning light
time to have some breakfast, look around and see the sights
I had never been to London, this was my first trip,
we saw Nelsons Column, but that was about it

We had to go to Tilbury, a ship was waiting for us there
to take us half way round the world, to a land dad said was fair
it needed population, to help it build and grow
and people came from many lands to try and make it so

so we sailed, down the Thames, hoping things would be alright
out into the Channel, and past Dovers cliffs of white
across the Bay of Biscay, through the Med and Suez too
then over the Indian Ocean, until Australia came into view

We called at Port Fremantle, then crossed the Australian Bight
just a stop at Melbourne, then on to Sydney through the night
at eight thirty in the morning, I went up on to deck A
we passed under the Harbour Bridge, England 12000 miles away

I would never again see England, or walk the Pennine Hills
never again see Manchester, the winter fogs, and chills
my friends from when I was a lad, are just memory
but living in Australia, has been a good life for me.

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Gordon Mcconnell September 14, 2021 at 1:27 PM Great piece Bob, really interesting on your travels from England to Australia, it must have been traumatic at the time knowing you may never return as has been the case. I'm also a UKer but I'm north of the border. Take care, Gordon Robert J Moore September 15, 2021 at 5:23 PM Over 60 years now Gordon, dad was right, it was worth it, though I would like to see England again, I hear things have changed, maybe memory, I used to drink with Scottish lads when I camped in the Isle of Man, said I would visit them in Scotland, but never got the chance