12th March 2026 • The HERALD • Page 77 v INDEPENDENT, LOCAL AND PROUD v Poets Corner WORDS by Dorothy Lockyer© Undertow by David K Wilson© Can you just imagine a world without words? Absence of Adverbs, Adjective, nouns or verbs. How would one communicate or gather news? No way to express or even share views. No chance to reason, or knowledge to impart Unable to enjoy literature or art. Connectivity would be severed I’m sure Just a void of meaningless life to endure. So many connotations in one small word Evoking one’s emotions as they are heard Bringing fear, anger, anxiety, sadness Yet, also pleasure, beauty, joy and gladness. Just as life evolves, new words develop too Some are made redundant, new words breaking through As long as this is happening, words will remain. Please take my word for it. Don’t take words in vain. True Love Will Come by Jim Dolbear© When love is no more And they walk out the door And time seems to stand still. You think there’s no way ere is nothing to say Le with a bitter pill. But life is a road Waiting to be strode With its stops on the way. So put on a smile You will nd in a while True love will come to stay. en the sun will rise Up to the clear skies Days will be kind to you. en come the nightfall You will look back and recall True love has seen you through. You showed me the sunshine When I lived in the shade You showed me the stars On their nightly parade You showed me the small things I just couldn’t see And you awakened the lover at was hiding in me You were there by my side When I felt all-alone Your voice reassured me I was not on my own You took control When things seemed so wrong I heard just white noise Whilst you heard sweet songs You were always my lady Only you hold the key And you awakened the lover at was hiding in me It rained on the day She walked through the town In the middle of winter With storms all around Dressed in a summer coat Chilled to the bone Her life placed on hold No partner no home She lives in a bedsit On the far edge of the town With nowhere to go And the rains pouring down She has little income Without work for days She’s an unhappy lady Like many today She has two small children One girl and one boy ey are her whole world Fill her heart with pure joy But she just cannot a ord To buy them toys like their friends Life seems unfair Without meaning or end In her bedsit there’s no option To spend time home each day So she wanders the town Or walks out to the bay Where the church kitchen angels Provide soup and a roll And the biscuits tea or co ee Eases the pain in her soul ere’s so little out there For a life in despair Most walk on by hurriedly And pretend she’s not there Just where it went wrong She’s unsure and doesn’t know She’s simply caught in the current Of life’s undertow She can’t dry her clothes Or take a shower each day She’s a victim of circumstance Her whole life stripped way Awakening by David K Wilson© The copyright of all poems that are published in The Herald belong to the author and must NOT be reproduced without their permission Send your poems to us at 2 High Street, Hythe, Southampton SO45 6AH or email: editor@herald-publishing.co.uk New Forest/Waterside U3A New Forest/Waterside U3A members meetings are held on the first and third Tuesdays of each month, at St Andrews Hall in Dibden Purlieu, starting at 2pm. Meetings nish at around 3.30pm, but everyone is invited to stay for tea and biscuits if they wish. In February they welcomed David Boag, who has spoken to the group on several occasions. ey greatly enjoyed hearing about “ e Wild Coast”, a talk about the treasures to be found around the coast and shoreline of Britain. ey also had a return visit from Ruth Kerr, whose background was with Hampshire Museums Service, although she is now a freelance adviser and speaker. ey learned about the history of how the Hampshire County Council has given a helping hand to the agricultural community, over the decades, along with a potted history of farming over the centuries. On Tuesday 7th April, writer Bobbie Darbyshire, will be giving a talk entitled “A Beginning, A Muddle, and An End”. On 21st April, Judy eobald will give her talk “Life and other problems”; subtitled “30 odd years in the media”. Later in the year, there will be a farm trip, involving cheese. Also a workshop for members interested in developing their inner artist. Special interest groups meet regularly, including skittles, embroidery, and gardening. ere are lunch dates, which are o en fully booked on the day they’re announced. e Boules Group is currently suspended, waiting for an improvement in the weather. But the table tennis group, which plays fortnightly at Gang Warily, is actively seeking more players. e history group meets every month, and for the next few sessions, they shall be hearing about Kings and Queens, randomly chosen by individual members. For more information visit the New Forest/Waterside u3a Facebook, anyone who is interested in joining this friendly U3A group is welcome to go along to a meeting, or to contact the secretary if they’d like to chat rst. Please email: u3a.nfwsecretary@outlook.com The History of Bog Standard Are you over 55 and want to make the most of life once you’re no longer in full time work by exploring and sharing new ideas, skills and interests with your local U3A? Across the UK, U3A members are learning, staying active and having fun in later life. It’s local, social, friendly, low-cost and open to all. Totton U3A is open to new members so why not join them. ey meet every second Thursday of each month at 1.45pm in the Palm Room at Totton & Eling Community Centre. On Thursday 9th April for a talk by Judy eobald titled ‘ e History of Bog Standard’. Various interest groups meet throughout the month to participate in learning and leisure activities and perhaps you can bring a new skill to share with others. Contact Christine Farleigh on 023 8086 2882 or email: cefarleigh@gmail.com for further information or just go along to their monthly meetings. Give it a try; you can be sure of a warm welcome! Veterans Breakfast Club Hythe Armed Forces & Veterans Breakfast Club takes place on the second Saturday of every month at Hythe & District Social Club, Pylewell Road, Hythe. Go along on Saturday 11th April to enjoy the social interaction and banter with fellow veterans which will help improve your mental health and is good for PTSD. For more details text Graham on 07526 507053 or nd them on Facebook (Hythe Armed Forces & Veterans Breakfast Club).
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