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Fenland Poetry and Verse - and More
A fenman's work on Wicken Fen was guided by the season, and the weather. A pattern of life that changed little over the centuries.
Life On The Fen
by Neil Ford
We live by the lode, working out on the fen
It's a hard life but mostly we're happy
We're scything and catching, and cutting the peat
To put bread on the table for the family to eat
We’re all down the fen where there’s turf to be dug
The men cut and barrow - it’s tough
The girls and the youngsters, they quarter and stack
Then it’s loaded on lighters and we haul it all back
The season is short, the pumps have been busy
Lifting the water away from the pits
The diggers work hard a-loading the saddle
Blighted by midges and having to paddle
We live by the lode, working out on the fen
It's a hard life but mostly we're happy
We're scything and catching, and cutting the peat
To put bread on the table for the family to eat
Life’s tough for a fenman as many will tell
Our tasks being guided by the season
There’s no point in a grumble – we just get stuck in
It’s a life that we treasure for good reason
We live by the lode, working out on the fen
It's a hard life but mostly we're happy
We're scything and catching, and cutting the peat
To put bread on the table for the family to eat
Neil Ford
Ely, Cambridgeshire
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