May fair in Poetry

Last week the May Fair came to Hereford. When we first moved here we were amazed by this carnival that happens right in the middle of the city. Traffic in the city centre is banned and the streets are filled with stalls and scary rides. I’ve only missed it a couple of times in the 41 years that we have lived here. I just love the atmosphere.

I wrote this poem years ago when the children were young.

Hereford May Fair

Once a year,
the first week of May,
the streets of Hereford
are bright and gay,
and full of noise,
and screams and cries,
and little children
with wistful eyes.

There’s coconut shies,
and hoopla stalls,
and candy floss,
and roll the balls,
and fish and chips,
and dodgem cars,
and home-made sweets
and chocolate bars.

And Catherine wants a big balloon
that only lasts the afternoon.
And Chris has won a coconut,
and Catherine cries ’cause she did not.
But Tony’s happy as the train
goes round and round and round again.
He rings the bell and grins with glee,
and now it’s nearly time for tea.

Just one more go is Chris’s plea.
The helter skelter it will be.
‘I want a go, too!’ Catherine cries,
but Tony is quite satisfied.
Dad won for him a little boat,
while aiming for a five pound note.
And Mum has won (she scored fifteen)
a ninja turtle, brilliant green!

So back they go through city streets
with bags of sticky chocolate sweets,
with coconut, and little boat,
and ninga turtle … under coat!
The big balloon escapes to fly
to all the others in the sky,
and parents hear the children say
they wish the fair came every day!