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Fenland Poetry and Verse - and More
Fenmen needed a donkey or pony to haul their lighters. Reuben was mentioned and pictured in one of Wicken author, Tony Day's books.
Old Reuben
by Neil Ford
(Work in progress!)
Through the years old Reuben has been more than a workhorse
He's loved by one and all
He’s placid and willing, and can hale a full trio
Out on the fen he’ll come to your call
He's cared for with love like one of the family
He works hard for his feed every day
Hauling the gangs whatever the load
He knows what to do, we don't have to say
The children adore him and he loves them too
They often climb up for a ride
At the hospital fete he joins in the races
Cheered on by the crowd lined out on the side
When we’re harvesting crops as we move through the year
Reuben will be there with us
We take the reeds and the rushes, the turf and sedge too
Hauled back to our wharf without any fuss
Neil Ford
Ely, Cambridgeshire
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