Hilda Gibson: Land Girl...
...returned to our programme recently. You can hear the item here:
We've had a LOT of requests for a written version of her poem, read on air by her daughter Stella. Sorry for the delay. Just click on the link below to read it. And by the way if you want to read much more about Hilda - just click on the link on the right - Hilda Gibson Land Girl.
We're still standing
Rally round the badge girls,
Welcome it with pride.
Remember those no longer
Walking by our side.
Eighty thousand volunteers
Of independent mind.
No marching, drilling or salutes,
Our roles were well defined.
Hard labour was our remit,
Each working hour to fill.
Livestock, crops and woodland
We nurtured with a will.
We found fresh fields and pastures new
In unfamiliar places.
Young sons of toil called up to arms,
Each man a girl replaces.
Frost bitten toes and fingers,
But wait! We soon will find
As Shelley wrote: "If winter comes,
Can spring be far behind?"
Our joy was summer sunshine
And red gold autumn days
When leaves fell soft as snowflakes
And stirred the smoky haze.
As years roll by we live our lives,
The girls that time forgot.
We hoped one day someone would say:
"You did well, thanks a lot".
Now better late then never,
At last we hear the call,
The Cinderella army
Is going to the ball.
Listen to PM
© MMIX~RS~q~RS~~RS~z~RS~43~RS~)
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Thank you, Hilda, and thanks, Eddie for posting this on the Blog
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Thank you, Eddie.
And thank you, Hilda.
Two of my heroes. :o)
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What on earth is a shelley road?
Whoever noted the poem down from the reading made an error here. The poet is quoting from PB Shelley's poem 'Ode to the West Wind', which concludes with this question. So the line should read:
As Shelley wrote, "If winter comes,
Can Spring be far behind?"
The fourth verse starts with a reference to Milton's poem 'Lycidas', (his poem ends with the line 'Tomorrow to fresh woods and pastures new') - it's a nicely literary poem. What a pleasure to hear it so beautifully read by Mrs Gibson's daughter.
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Thanks for correcting the transcript of the poem, whoever did so. It makes my earlier comment redundant, of course!
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This was very moving and I pay tribute to Hilda and her colleagues and thank them for their contribution to my freedom.
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