Hainault Forest Website

Get down to Hainault Forest

A poem by Sarah White

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If you’re feeling grumpy,

If you’re feeling mad,

If you’re quite exasperated

By the problems that you’ve had,

If your partner’s dumped you,

If the cat’s sick, or you’re sad,

Just pop down to Hainault Forest

Things are really not that bad.

The trees will offer solace,

The atmosphere can calm

Dark disgruntled rumblings

Or feelings of alarm.

Filtered sunlight sooths the mind,

Even rainfall acts like balm,

Strong trunks impart their strength to you

They cannot cause you harm.

If your bones are creaky

Or your memory lets you down,

If you long for times

When we still had ‘half a crown’,

If onions give you heart burn

And small print makes you frown,

Then get down to Hainault Forest

No need to go to town.

A gentle walk refreshes

As you find your favourite track.

Your mind can wander with your feet

And memories take you back,

To times when muscles flexed,

And with your conker you’d attack

Your friends ‘ninety-niner’

As you’d give it lots of flack.

If you’re fed up being a kid

‘cos no-one listens to what you say.

If school has been a nightmare

And nothings gone right today.

If Mum moaned about your bedroom,

You want sweets but Dad won’t pay,

Get down to Hainault Forest

There’s freedom there to play.

You can be a great explorer,

Do the ‘Wild Trail’, ‘don’t get lost’.

Find beetles, bugs and spiders,

Birds and badgers are your host.

Climb a tree like Robin Hood,

Imagine there’s a ghost,

Listen to the forest sounds

Have a picnic, be engrossed.

So cycle, drive, or bus and walk,

Then you're sure to jest

That you've been to Hainault Forest,

The place we love the best.

 © Sarah White.