WEST PENWITH ALMOST DEAD POETS SOCIETY

One of the oldest members of the society, who has hitherto never released any of his poems, has now, at the age of 132, given his deathbed permission to publish one of his works.

Jack Bolitho-Batten, pictured here on the left as young man of 21, was an extremely private individual.  A man of very few spoken words and of sombre cast of mind, he worked for 85 years as a mortician's assistant.  He never married, but as this enigmatic poem reveals, he did know love as a young man growing up in the West Cornwall he loved so well.

REGRETS

'Ands up 'oo walked past midnight from Penzance up to St Just.
'Ands up 'oo felt the comfort of dark quiet Cornish night.
'Ands up 'oo looked from Pendeen corner down upon the bay.
'Ands up 'oo didn't fill with wonder walking out that way.

I seen un and I felt un and it was sum smuckin fart:
I seen the sparkling stars and glinting sea,
I seen the shadow geography of West Penwith,
I seen un all laid out 'ere before me.

I wadden the first to clap my eyes on this vocal majesty,
I wadden the first to feel the blonging in my gut.
I wadden the first to feel 'er warmth still in my fingertips,
I wadden the first to see 'er clearly with eyes all shut.

I couldn' wait to go back there and see 'er face again,
I couldn' wait to see the laughter in 'er smiles;
I couldn' wait to touch 'er air an kiss er lips again;
I couldn' wait but 'ad to keep on goin a few more miles.

The time 'ave come to shut the lid on my piano.
The time 'ave come to close the music of my song.
That walk I took at midnight was now a long long time ago,
An' she's no more, my lady love - it all went wrong.

Jack Bolitho-Batten (STBD*)

Alice Chirgwin-Jacka, Poetry Correspondent
* Soon To Be Deceased