Sloopy - For you

[DTCwordfan]

Sloopy

Last "haiku" for the moment; this one is a pressie to you, as you know nothing about it - I composed it last evening and polished it up early this morning. If factually some errors let me know and I'll rework it here.

[i] Phyllis: The Treasured Humber Barge[i]

Phyllis, the Humber barge
sits there on her idle water.
Her Hull proudly afloat

She plied the Estuary waters
and went long and afar.,
Employed by owners to build their wealth.

Coal was her heavy cargo,
over Airedale, Calder and Don.
Sheffield, the black chimneys destined for her load.

Her war work dangerously impressive,
bombs and oranges to Hull, eggs and milk - Immingham to Leeds.
Phyllis almost blitzed.

Not much recognition for a hard working Sloopy,
a wash and oil at best; rewards for her owners.
Freeman of London for James Barraclough

Late in her life, coal was replaced
by maize, wheat and grain.
Let them eat Cattle Cake

Small havens, romantic names:
Hessle, Barrow, Barton, Winteringham and Killingholme.
The Sloopy seeking shelter from the North Sea storms

Her work continued on and on,
oil rigs and even a quest for Nessie.
When would Phyllis get her rest?

Her trading days were over,
the Scots left her to sink, rot and rust.
Poor Phyllis stuck so far from her Humber home.

Plans devised; plots enacted,
limp from Buckie to her beloved Barton Haven.
Benbola towing, problem solving in navigation.

Big, black and full of rubbish,
the enormous restoration started.
Phyllis wasn’t going to go to waste.

Years of loving passion, hard work,
cleaning, joinery and metal work.
Wood and materials Phyllis may have carried.

New hawse plate, head ledge and steel top to her hold,
watertight top and bottom.
A Phoenix of a Phyllis slowly arose.

Engine installed, a Gardiner,
Phyllis on the motor now.
Her hallowed Humber now traversed.

Fittings, “Edwardian” painting, masts and rigging,
yards and havens a-plenty.
But how apt for bringing back an old lady.

Five brown sails fully up, burgee atop,
Phyllis close to the wind.
Her creaks and groans, however no flagging here.

Once again, the Humber water
chops happily against her bows.
Rippling, sparkling, burbling, Phyllis comes home.

[humbersloop]

I am in tears. Thank you dt

[DTCwordfan]

so factually it's correct?.....I noted one little grammar thing to be removed a ., should be a full stop in verse 2 line 2 (just being too precise!)

[gness]

Beautiful and touching. x

[DTCwordfan]

so factually ok? sloopy......

[humbersloop]

Hi dt, x, been out of range of anything very much at all. Tried a later post by phone on Friday but nada :(

Absolutely loved it. Technically, two tan sails plus three white ones for light airs but that's nitpickery -and barsteward to do anything with!

[humbersloop]

Oops, and she didn't go to Sheffield,too big. Wakefield, yes, York also.

[DTCwordfan]

I thought I read that on the web site....Sheffield that is. However, that's Nick Clegg country so Wakefield easily substitutes in - and I have a cousin who lives there.

If you do want to use it, go ahead and we can take "brown" out in the penultimate verse. For authorship, I'll give you a temp address, [email protected]....

[humbersloop]

Ok, catch you tomorrow
xx

[humbersloop]

gmail for you dt