Poetic Writing of Robbie Kennedy Bennett

Poetic Writing of ROBBIE KENNEDY BENNETT © www.rkbpoetry.co.uk Born in Wolverhampton of English and Scottish parentage. He grew up on the Rough Hills Estate area of the town and his Scottish ancestral roots are in the Kingdom of Fife and Dundee. The author is now residing in Codsall, Staffordshire. Drawings, pictures and writing are copyright of the author Robbie Kennedy Bennett. Codsall is 5 miles NW of Wolverhampton and Oaken is 1 mile SW of Codsall. They are close to the western Staffordshire Shropshire border. In the Doomsday Book in 1086 Codsall is recorded as having a population of 6 people and Oaken having 8. The oldest building in Codsall is St Nicholas Church dated around the 12th century. In 1849 the Birmingham to Shrewsbury railway line arrived as did Codsall Station. The station building in recent years as been restored as a Public House. THE DAY I FOLLOWED A RAINBOW. CODSALL SUNRISE. ONE DAY I WILL TRAVEL TO SHREWSBURY. RISE AND FACE THE DAY. THE LAST TIME WITH YOU I RECALL. CODSALL STATION FOOTBRIDGE. TREADING IN FRESH SNOW. STORMS ARE IN THE DISTANCE LORD. STRAWBERRY PICKING AT BRADSHAWS FARM. COUNTING BLESSINGS. BOSCOBEL. THE FIRST LEAVES OF AUTUMN. WE SHOULD THANK THEM ALL. TUESDAY HAS BEGUN. THE WORLD OUTSIDE AWAITS YOU. CHARACTERISTIC YES OF CALEDONIA. PRAY, THE BROOK IS HIGH. HEY THERE, MR EVANS. I'LL SEE YOU NEXT WEEK.

The original village centre was surrounding the impressive church of St Nicholas which can be seen when approaching Codsall from certain directions.

The surrounding area of Codsall is popular for people who take pleasure in countryside walking. Within minutes of leaving the village down Station Road is the Nature Trail. Opposite the start of the Trail is the drive up to the Station, it was here that my family and I parked the car over 21 years ago and looked for a house to buy.

Further samples of my writing can found on the following websites,
www.poetryofscotland.co.uk
www.footballpoets.org
and on occasions in the Black Country Bugle.
www.blackcountrybugle.co.uk

www.scotlands-enchanting-kingdom.com/in-my-blood.html

Property of RKB

Property of RKB

The Day I Followed A Rainbow © Robbie Kennedy Bennett
www.rkbpoetry.co.uk

Property of RKB

Codsall Sunrise © Robbie Kennedy Bennett

Property of RKB

Property of RKB

One Day I Will Travel To Shrewsbury © Robbie Kennedy Bennett

Property of RKB

Property of RKB

Rise And Face The Day, © Robbie Kennedy Bennett

The Last Time With You I Recall © Robbie Kennedy Bennett

CODSALL STATION FOOTBRIDGE ©
by Robbie Kennedy Bennett

In Codsall one Sunday afternoon,
A well-earned pint couldn't be served too soon.
I sensed a strange kind of atmosphere,
So I questioned 'has something happened in here?
A mate at the bar then spoke,
My first instinct was it must be a joke.

A maintenance crane collision,
With the platform passenger provision.
The Station footbridge,
Grade-II listed,
Struck and damaged
Buckled and twisted.

Down at the station villagers gathered
Enthusiasts travelled from afar,
Hour after hour they kept on coming,
On bicycle, foot or they came by car.
Television crews soon came along,
The radio reported on what went wrong.
In the Express and Star obviously,
Eighteen hundred and eighty-three.
That was the year the footbridge was built,
Someone somewhere carried all the guilt.

Yellow coated, hardhat engineers,
Successful men with responsible careers.
They came to their decision,
With the platform passenger provision.
The Station footbridge,
Grade-II listed,
Struck and damaged,
Buckled and twisted.
It is to be dismantled, uplifted and taken away,
The footbridge will be repaired and refitted another day.

But word spread slowly around the village,
'The bridge will be no more'.
You couldn't help but imagine it,
Like all those years before.
Each week I'd walk up Station Road
My eyes played tricks at night,
The footbridge not in sight didn't appear quit right.

Then came the day like years way back in time,
All is at peace by the railway line.
It's painted and it's clean,
Part of the Codsall Station scene.
This period structure with a modern twist too,
The station footbridge is back in view.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
Codsall Station building was converted into a Public House in the late 20th Century. Inside the Station are various pictures of railway scenes and obviously some of the Station Building in bygone times. The station would have witnessed the growth of dwellings around this part of Codsall because of the arrival of the railway. I can include myself in living in one of those houses today that was built for commuters.
In the Station building there is a picture or two of the Mr Evans’s family who was the Station Master at the turn of the 20th Century. I presume this would have been their home. On one picture his family are standing outside the building with the steps of the footbridge on the Shrewsbury side of the platform in the background. Who would have thought at the time of taking the picture that a story would develop over a hundred years later. What I find most interesting also is that I wish I could see the view of the time behind the photographer.

Codsall Station Footbridge © Robbie Kennedy Bennett

Above is a framed picture on display in Codsall Legionaries Club of the late Mark Fellows with a poem of mine HE PLAYED OUR FAVOURITE TUNE
Mark was a popular DJ in Codsall.

The poem can be found on page FLIGHTY GUY.

Oaken Terrace grounds, Codsall.

TREADING IN FRESH SNOW ©
by Robbie Kennedy Bennett 1992

Hands up those who like to go,
Walking and treading in fresh snow.
Wearing thick socks
To keep your feet snug,
Returning on home
To the fire by the rug.

Treading in Fresh Snow © Robbie Kennedy Bennett

Clouds brewing in anger over Codsall.

STORMS ARE IN THE DISTANCE ©
by Robbie Kennedy Bennett 1996

Storms are in the distance lord
Trees are telling me so.
Dogs alert and listening lord
A change is coming now.
Why do I feel there's something wrong?
Why do I need protecting?
The wind's now all around me lord
My mind it's all affecting.
Clouds are getting heavy lord
Bursting at the seams.
Rain is now a falling lord
Washing away my dreams.
Why do I feel there's something wrong?
Why do I think it's frightening?
Could the maker of this world of ours
Be the thunder and the lightening.

But the sun is now a shining lord
Yes it's shining down on me.
Are you now a speaking lord?
Are you speaking down to me?
Why do I feel there's nothing wrong?
And I've been protected.
Skies are blue around me lord
My mind is not affected.
Storms are in the distance lord

Storms Are In The Distance Lord © Robbie Kennedy Bennett

Christmas scene 2004

STRAWBERRY PICKING AT BRADSHAWS FARM ©
by Robbie Kennedy Bennett 2007

Strawberry picking at Bradshaws Farm on the A41,
Many summers since those days have come and gone.
Strawberry picking, we filled the buckets plenty,
How many summers?
Twice more than twenty.

From Rough Hills to Bradshaws Farm
Seemed a long long way,
In the strawberry picking time of yesterday.

This was a family countryside treat,
Strawberries were for picking and not to eat.
But still, I tasted a few,
Like most young pickers do.

We'd carry the buckets for weighing,
Take the coins back to mom without delaying.
That was our contribution,
To the shortage of money solution.

A pub nearby was tempting everyone,
The Foaming Jug on the A41.
Dad nipped off at dinnertime,
To sample a pint or two,
Obviously he'd gone to the Jug just as most dads do.
That was his contribution,
To the shortage of money solution.

Strawberry picking at Bradshaws Farm on the A41,
Many summers since those days have come and gone.
It was in the early sixties,
When we went Strawberry picking,
On the way home I have to confess
My fingers took some licking.

Strawberry Picking at Bradshaws Farm © Robbie Kennedy Bennett

Property of RKB

Counting Blessings © Robbie Kennedy Bennett

Not far from Codsall is Bosobel House, made famous by Charles II after the Battle of Worcester.

BOSCOBEL ©
by Robbie Kennedy Bennett

Defeated at the battle of Worcester,
To London he planned to flee.
Run like the wind young vigorous Charles,
Oliver Cromwell is after thee.

The year of 1651,
Charles lost his fight where had he gone?

Charles sought shelter at Boscobel,
Hiding in branches of a huge Oak tree.
He's looking for you young vigorous Charles,
Oliver Cromwell is after thee.

A welcome meal of bread and cheese,
In Boscobel House, a charitable bed.
Charles in hiding changed his plans,
In disguise to France he fled.

The year was 1658,
When Charles heard news of Cromwell’s fate.

Two years passed after Cromwell died,
Charles II need not now hide.
Out of exile he then came,
His exploits famed the Boscobel name.
In the 1660s the King was he,
Thanks to the shelter of the Royal Oak Tree.

THE FIRST LEAVES OF AUTUMN ©
by Robbie Kennedy Bennett 2003

I love the tranquillity of a country lane
Especially in a late summer sun,
The trees have had their seasonal warmth
Autumn is soon to become.
In peace I can hear the free bird sing
A happy cheerful song,
Rabbits are out of their burrows
But they hide as I walk along.
The horses do quietly graze
In a field of grass so green,
But next morning there may be a changing
For the first leaves of Autumn I've seen.

The First Leaves of Autumn © Robbie Kennedy Bennett

Station Road, Codsall.

Property of RKB

Property of RKB

part extract of IAN UNDERSTANDS.

Where did they come from?
Where did they die?
Ian understands why I don't hurry by.

You may be interested in reading the full poem of IAN UNDERSTANDS
on page WAR AND MEMORIALS.

CODSALL NAMES

THE WORLD OUTSIDE AWAITS YOU ©
by Robbie Kennedy Bennett

When all around is grey,
And you can’t see what’s happening ahead.
Problems appear to be far too near,
What’s before you today you dread.

Look at the bigger picture,
See beyond your eyes.
Feel the beauty of nature around you,
You may not realize.

There’s a world outside that awaits you,
To worry too much is a sin.
The world outside will sedate you,
Won’t you come on in?

The World Outside Awaits You © Robbie Kennedy Bennett

I spend many hours dog walking in the lanes to the west of Codsall. As the end of 2007 was drawing to a close I ventured a little bit further along the A41 to work off some of the Christmas intake. Over the brow of the hill at Kingswood is the border of Shropshire. On a clear day the view is picturesque, and today wasn’t bad.

Property of RKB

CHARACTERISTIC YES OF CALEDONIA ©
by Robbie Kennedy Bennett

Ower th’ brae at Kingswuid
Thare’ a lousome Shrapshire view,
Characteristic ay o’ Caledonia
Oan th’ road tae Largs frae Renfrew.

No Creuch Hill and Inverclyde,
Still I bide a wee while and take stock.
This morning is late and Britain looks great,
In County Lane, near eleven o’clock.

Shropshire County is a palette of colour,
And I’m a man who needs to explore.
How could I ever see the Highland Hills
If I don’t step out of my door?

From the summit up high on the Wrekin hill
Can Cymru be seen today?
Characteristic ay o’ Caledonia
The Long Mynd and plains out to Cardigan Bay.

Spirituality is a wondrous power,
It lies dormant in the mind of man.
I look for Caledonia,
Aw roads ah go whaure’re ah can.

There is nothing quite like the Highland Hills,
No scenery can match a glen and loch.
This morning is late and Britain looks great,
In County Lane, near eleven o’clock.

Over the hill at Kingswood
There is a pleasant Shropshire view,
Characteristic yes of Caledonia
On the road to Largs from Renfrew.

Characteristic Yes of Caledonia © Robbie Kennedy Bennett

Property of RKB

Property of RKB

CODSALL and OAKEN in picture.