YOUR POEMS

SHIPS IN THE NIGHT by Stephen Wigley, of Littleover

He’d been hurrying to the station, hunched in his greatcoat. Collar turned up against the driving snow.

She’d been walking home from a nightshift.

He rounded the corner and stopped so suddenly

He fell flat on his back in the snow. Winded, he lay for a moment, then reached up a gloved hand Gasping, “Hope ....

She had smiled, “What do you hope, sergeant?”

He regained his feet brushing snow from his coat.

“No, Sergeant Alan Hope, Miss. Sorry if I startled you...”

Only then had he noticed the twinkling green eyes

And the smile which lit up her face.

His train forgotten, he had begun to talk to her.

She sat by the fireside, holding her cup

And stared at the photograph on the mantelpiece.

The happy couple were leaving the church Surrounded by boys in uniform and her friends and family. She glanced at the window, outside, the snow fell again. Her hair was grey now but the laughter lines still showed Beneath the green eyes.

Her pupils down the years often wondered why

Miss lived alone, when most of the other teachers were married And occasionally had a far away look in her eyes

When the snow began to fall. NEW WORLD by Barrie Kinsella, of Long Eaton

And so in its dawn the New World enters into our world.

The old year soon trailing behind in our thoughts. Tomorrow is on everyone’s lips, discussed between us with enthusiasm and mounting excitement as days and weeks begin to pass with the speed we are accustomed to as we take our place, in this bright new world, opening about us to investigage and make our impressions.