Alresford Displayed Issue No.13 - 1988
THE VISITORS
By Ursula Oxley
Two Great Crested Grebes
came down to rest
On Alresford Pond.where they built a nest
The nest was afloatand surrounded by reeds
Not easy to spot,that bundle of weeds
With a layer of grass on the top.Binoculars poised,
a head could be seen
Rising up now and then,black and red against green;
The eye dark and watchful;a long, pointed bill
The 'Whimple shaped' crestand a chestnut neck-fril
Like a Seventeenth Century fop!T'was amusing to watch
her mate swimming near-
He'd be there for a minuteand then disappear!
To swim under-waterfor quite a long bout,
Reappearing at lasthe floated about
Like a square-bottomed bottle of ‘pop!
I’ve written three verses,
there’s one more I fear,
Which I’d rather not write,and you’d rather not hear
But the truth of it is that the Grebes flew away
From the pond and the neston that unhappy day
When the curious invaded the spot.