Autumn on the Broads.

Autumn is in the air again
with colours of purple hue,
And cobwebs on the grass and fern,
are swabbed with morning mist and dew.
And our broadlands windswept
land, with distance far and wide
The cattle laze and graze,
all day, with nowhere much to hide.

There`s moorhens in the dykes
again, they hide amongst the reeds,
The pheasant browse on edgeways
paths, gathering hidden seeds
The seagulls screech, on Autumn
winds, there`s lapwings overhead,
And as the sun goes down, the
Starlings meet, before they go to bed.

The willows sway by waters edge,
and swallowed Alder`s creak,
And by the sedges on the marsh,
A home the dormouse seek,
Then over by the sunken mill, that
used to pump all day,
There is remains of swallows homes
but they have flown away.

The water rises with the tide, and
glitters in the sun.
And ripple past the old pack bridge
On Potter Heigham run.
Then past the ambered woodlands
Where herons watch all day.
The swans and ducks search along
the bank, as summer fades away.

The willow herbs have had their fun
they`re tamed by Autumn chill.
They`ve lost their colour of crimson
pink, the seeds they blow at will.
The catkins dust is blowing
amongst the tree tops high,
And most boats have left the
river now.
Looks like Summer say goodbye.

So Autumn gales go searing on
broadland, marsh and fen.
That sweep across the open land
to bend the trees again.
And through the wires the
whistling wind, is singing
Autumns song.
So say goodbye to Autumn
leaves.
Then Winter won`t be long.
R. Roberts.