Coventry Poetry

Nice work Kaga!

You are an ol' Softie really Kaga, a lovely poem. I will look at my lawn in a different light from now on.

I found this poem that my mum had written in her scrap book and I wanted to share it LADY GODIVA By Charlie Chester Now you've all heard of Lady Godiva Back in Coventry some years ago, How she rode on a white horse stark naked, but why do it, & where did she go. Well her husband was taxing the peasants too much, which he did with no sign of regret, and he said to his spouse don't just stand there and grouse, how would you like to win a good bet. If I take the tax off those peasants, will you take all your clothes off my pet, and ride on a horse down the High Street, you wouldn't do that dear I bet. You wouldn't ask me to ride naked she cried. I would do dear that's the bet. So she tore off her garments & kicked them aside With a look that he'll never forget. They say that her long hair just hung down, to cover her feminine form But as she sat a straddle without any saddle There was only one part that kept warm. The peasants politely just all turned their backs Not to notice her feminine charms, but when that horse broke into a gallop Well they saw more than a bare pair of arms. And that story about long tresses was a myth, that went right up the shoot. It was only a wig, and the wind blew that off And she sat there as bald as a coot. And riding white horses, stark naked of course In those days was not just a trifle, Peeping Tom there of course hadn't seen a white horse, so he popped out & peeped for an eyeful. Now Leofric that was her husband Was getting quite drunk in the bar. He was very distraught as he sat there and thought- Well she could have worn pants and a bra. And when she got home he was shouting with rage, you've been up to no good this I know. Stark naked you're seen - Where the hell have you been and your horse came back 3 days ago.

Lovely poem Anne, thank you for sharing

Thank you Anne, a nice light hearted approach to Lady G.

Thank you Ann, informative.

Oh that Charlie Chester - he was a one! "Down in the jungle living in a tent Better than a prefab no rent" Only bit of him I can remember - never heard the Lady Godiva one, but absolutely typical. Was this the origin of "Horrible History"? Thanks Anne - loved it

Well done Johnny Walker on publishing your poems

Wonderfull poems Kaga is this photo the little rustic bridge in Bellgreen you mention in your poem. Photo thanks to Doctor Mc Namaras family. http://www.mcnamarahistory.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/jogu9a-300x201.jpeg

Can you put me down for the First Edition JW. Congrats. and all that !!!

Thanks Morgana and Dreamtime! It's been a bit of a trauma to get the thing printed! My collaborator, who has done the sketches and designed the book etc, is hoping (!) to pick up 25 of the printed copies at 5pm tomorrow, giving me precisely one evening to see if I'm happy with them, before I launch the books at the Poets' Breakfast on the Saturday morning! Fingers crossed!

great work JW. Morgana. don't think so but then things have changed, the bridge was over the far end of the slough. wrote about 1940 time.

The buildings in the rear of the photo Kaga are the same as the buildings in the Wyken slough with the little boy rowing in his boat different angle on page 8 Wyken Slough thread my link of Doctor Mc Namaras where there are old photos of the slough and Bellgreen. Keep scrolling down on that link.

Morgana, Your family story was one of the first things I read when I found this forum. It was a very broken down white painted bridge at the time, I used it when I did a paper round, from ag.rd up to the 'main' cottages, I wrote a few lines at that time, then put it on one side when the man was drowned there, right by the bridge, some many years later I found it in an old school book, re-wrote it. Walking to the Slough today. A patch of speedwell, matching the sky To cheer the hearts of passers by an open view to the farm beyond Tall trees to shelter the slough pond Content and peace in the country air Away from the traffic and modern blare.

Good luck with your publications Johnny Walker.