please empty your brain below
East Anglian Bathe
by John Betjeman

Oh when the early morning at the seaside
Took us with hurrying steps from Horsey Mere
To see the whistling bent-grass on the leeside
And then the tumbled breaker-line appear,
On high, the clouds with mighty adumbration
Sailed over us to seaward fast and clear
And jellyfish in quivering isolation
Lay silted in the dry sand of the breeze
And we, along the table-land of beach blown
Went gooseflesh from our shoulders to our knees
And ran to catch the football, each to each thrown,
In the soft and swirling music of the seas.
There splashed about our ankles as we waded
Those intersecting wavelets morning-cold,
And sudden dark a patch of sky was shaded,
And sudden light, another patch would hold
The warmth of whirling atoms in a sun-shot
And underwater sandstorm green and gold.
So in we dived and louder than a gunshot
Sea-water broke in fountains down the ear.
How cold the bathe, how chattering cold the drying,
How welcoming the inland reeds appear,
The wood-smoke and the breakfast and the frying,
And your warm freshwater ripples, Horsey Mere.

David | 22.10.11 - 7:28 a.m. | #

A quick look on Google shows that 'flollop' is an action unique to the living mattresses of Sqornshellous Zeta, acording to the late Douglas Adams.

Tony Martin | 22.10.11 - 9:15 a.m. | #

Fantastic - I've had several very happy holidays on the Norfolk Broads, and remember Horsey Mere well. Happy times. I never did see the seals though.

Jackie | Homepage | 22.10.11 - 10:20 a.m. | #

If I remember correctly, there are smodern offshore windmills nearby too.

Andrew | 22.10.11 - 12:29 p.m. | #

Lovely place. Walked there on a wintry January day last year, and was treated to the sight of the seals lazing on the snowy beach.

andy | 22.10.11 - 5:43 p.m. | #

How did you get there - it seems rather distant from a station?

Ed | 24.10.11 - 2:50 p.m. | #

I used the very useful public transport alternative - MyDad'sCar

diamond geezer | Homepage | 24.10.11 - 8:02 p.m. | #

On the subject of seals it's worth mentioning the Winterton on Sea seal hospital and santuary. They have opens days occasionally and sometimes a Sunday market to try to raise much-needed funds. They rescue and release many seals each year so please support them if you can.

A Chap | 25.10.11 - 9:03 p.m. | #











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