History / Poetry Corner
Whilst visiting his grandparents in Cornwall this weekend (9th / 10th Dec 2006), Stu Hopson (Sweet Dreams' keeper)was surprised to find out about a poem his grandad wrote about a race in the mid to late 1960’s on the river Crouch, featuring a cherub named “The Wizard of Oz”.
After much digging through the many poems which he has written over the years, the poem ‘The Jinx and the Wizard of Oz’ was found, and Jack Hopson (Stu’s grandad) has very kindly given permission for everyone to read and enjoy this poem:
THE JINX AND THE WIZARD OF OZ
1 Regatta day, and lots of boats - Trevor Austin was doing well . . . But then the wind got up a bit (In fact it blew like Merry Hell) Whilst leading on the final leg his Cherub on a flat out plane Quite unprovoked his well-known Jinx did raise its shaggy head again
2 The nearest rival, not in sight — (But many boats were moored about) While planing for the final mark A puff did lift the Cherub’s snout With extra speed she shot ahead But there was no real space in view There did not seem to be a hole Quite wide enough for boat and crew
3 “Our Hero” looked with urgent haste To try and find some sort of space (Apart from lots of moored up craft, He’d caught up with another race) The reaching spinny flew well out Mounted on extending boom A Cherub in a wind like this Really needs a lot of room!
4 Just then appeared a slender chance Not much, but then was ‘twas all he’d got Two moored up boats lay “end-to-end” Between the two our helmsman shot He had to luff up quick and hard A tricky move, as all could see His crew made comments rather like: “There are places I would rather be.”
5 A loop-the-loop, or similar Quite a feat at such a speed Assisted p’raps by desperate strength That sometimes comes in times of need. Then a rush to get the spinny down The turning mark is quite close by But in their haste, a minor slip— And whoops, the halyard was let fly.
6 The sail went flying out in front The boat still holding on a plane The famous Jinx did raise its head And problems reared up strong again. A cruising craft on engine slow Had not been noticed up ‘til now Until it loomed up strong in view— A stainless pulpit on its bow.
7 Too late poor Trevor spotted this And all could see, he was aghast A violent swerve just got him by But the flapping sail could not get past. It caught the pulpit fair and square And then it wrapped so well around It brought the Cherub to a halt As if he’d run the thing aground.
8 With instant action Trevor leaped Upon the deck where sail was caught With fevered haste the lad did work As with the straining cloth he fought The owner of the boarded craft Did watch the while and quietly curse And all could see he was incensed For now his craft moved in reverse.
9 With wind behind the Cherub’s main The forces pushing her were strong Despite the cruiser’s powered strain She by her stern was forced along . . . At last the clinging sail was freed But still it seemed the Jinx would win . . . The boat pulled off—left helm behind His only option . . . jump and swim
10 He caught and held the Cherub’s bow Crew still aboard—the boat pressed on Ahead, a tender tied to buoy, The Jinx’s work was not yet done . . . A spinnaker halyard dragging out Did catch around the mooring chain Helm in water—crew in boat The Cherub snagged up fast again.
11 They tugged and heaved to no avail ’Til in the row-boat climbed the crew From vantage point, he now enjoyed He soon could see just what to do— The Cherub freed, and moved away And quite unmanned, before our eyes She slewed around with force of wind Her boom went down, the boat capsized
12 The helmsman still held on the bow To right the boat he set his mind Then clambered in prepared to sail And found he’d left his crew behind Still standing he, in dinghy tied (And hadn’t even wet his feet) So back he sailed to get his lad Single-handed on a beat
13 Meanwhile a cruiser had arrived To collect their tender left afloat The crew on board was much surprised At this intruder in their boat Their mooring picked up nice and neat They helped this fella in their craft And standing there with still dry feet He must have felt a little daft.
14 The Cherub (not a stable beast) In such a wind could not close in But sailing near as he could get— This time the crew must jump and swim . . . Now re-united—crew of two Continued on and finished race And such a lead they had before That still they finished in first place!
WRITTEN BY JACK HOPSON (MID TO LATE 1960s)
The poem just goes to show that Cherubs have always been entertaining to watch and race against!
(Our records reveal boat 2417 was owned by T. Austin and called “Wizard of Oz”, so the above is not fiction)