Storyteller Cat of Exwick - A Winter Poem
The Storyteller Cat of Exwick
© Copyright 2008. Heather at Exeter
By Heather at Exeter
Once Upon a Time...
In days when Exeter was no bigger than a town,
the storytelling cat stopped to rest on a furzey down.
At a place where travellers paused along an ancient way,
where the mists of the Exe parted and birds took to the sky,
sheep grazed the slopes of high hills, and furthermore,
men had climbed so wearily those paths in times of Civil War.
The storytelling cat began to say,
"The gorse is too prickly, hedge woundwort too smelly, hay is more comfortable and
kinder under my belly!"
"But with a glass of Rum to warm the heart, a pipe, and Christmas cheer,
I'll warm my paws and eat my fill and wish that you were here".
"Another glass and even more I wish you seasons greeting,
now the drink's all gone, the pipe is out and there's no more left for eating".
'Twas snowy late that winter time and cold 'tis true
but on days that are much warmer felines like the view,
over meadows, river and walled City towers
when the weather is fair, as far as Exmouth even, between the rainy showers.
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There now follows the 17th Century version as told by our storyteller cat...
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Once Uppone a Tyme...
Inne Dayes whenne Exceter was noe bygger than a Towne,
ye storytellynge Catte stopped toe reste onne a furzey Downe.
Atte a Playce where Travellers paused alonge anne anciente Waye,
where ye Mistes of ye Exe parted ande Byrdes tooke toe ye Skye,
Sheepe grayzed ye Slopes of highe Hilles, ande furthermore,
Menne hadde clymbed soe wearyly those Pathes yn Tymes of Civil Warre.
Ye storytellynge Catte begane toe saye,
"Ye Gorse ys tooe prickley, hedge Woundewort tooe smelley, Haye ys more
comfortable ande kynder under mye Bellye!"
"Butte wyth a Glass of Rum toe warme the Harte, a Pype, ande Christmasse Cheere,
I'll warme mye Pawes ande eate mye Fille ande wishe that You were here".
"Anothere Glasse ande evene more I wishe You seasones greetynge,
nowe ye Drynke's alle gone, ye Pype ys oute ande there's noe more lefte for eatyng".
'Twas snowey late that Winter Tyme ande colde 'tys true
butte onne Dayes that are muche warmer Felynes lyke the Viewe,
o'er Meadowes, Rivere ande walled Citye Toweres
whenne ye Weather ys fair, as farre as Exemouthe evenne, betweene ye rainey
Showeres.
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I hope you have enjoyed listening!
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The Poems and Cartoon are © Copyright 2008 by Heather at Exeter although permission to use them in other publications might be granted by first writing to the author through the Living Here team.