My Uncle Jim

My uncle Jim was a funny man,
He always made us laugh.
Which is why I've written this poem, 
Just a small paragraph,
Of some of the things I remember
From the times I spent with Jim
The things he used to tell me,
And what I've learned from him.

From the time I was a child
I remember watching in awe,
Of the time he played the spoons,
I'd never seen such a thing before.
I sometimes took him shopping,
Down to Mary's shop,
A loaf of bread, some sausages
And biscuits with chocolate on the top.
And don't forget the cigarettes
He couldn't be without those,
Or you'd find yourself back down the shop
Before they'd have to close.

One morning I woke up
And looked out over to Gelli Farm,
Strange circles were in the field there
Like extra-terrestrial charm.
We had no idea what they were
So we mentioned it to Jim.
"Fairy rings" he said straight away
But could we believe him?
My grandad looked it up
In the collins English gem:
"a ring of dark grass caused by fungi"
He was right, you can't condemn.

If you drove down the pant hill
He might have left you squinting.
He would always start off at a walk
And the gradient would leave him sprinting!
Well he used to blame the gradient...
But this idea I might snub....
As we all know Jim was in a hurry
For the Plasycoed Pub!
"hollow legs" they used to call him
I've no idea why!
Though he used to put a few away
And then home up the hill he'd fly!

The photo on the booklet 
Is Jim on someones bike
It always made me laugh,
But that was what Jim was always like.
I will remember him with a smile
And I'm sure all you will too.
Keep your memories close
And Jim will always be with you.
(c) Hannah Hillier 2010