Southend U3A

June 2023

In Hindsight - Marie Day

This is the story of Hilda Bright.
A lady born to fight the fight.
Her mother on the other hand
tried to make her understand,
‘Before you dive with all your might
to try to help someone whose plight
seems truly to be danger full
best try to follow this one rule.’

‘Think before you jump straight in.
Remember you can’t always win.
Don’t give me a cause to weep.
Remember look before you leap!’
But Bright by name and nature too
young Hilda felt she always knew
that like the scouts she’d be prepared
to save the world. She wasn’t scared!

So leaving home with backward wave
our Hilda looked for those to save.
And walking on what did she see?
A crowd grouped round a tall oak tree.
The crowd was staring upward when
proud Hilda joined them all and then
she saw a lady shedding tears
and wailing loud to hurt your ears.

‘My Tiddles is right at the top,’
she sobbed as if she’d never stop.
‘Stand back,’ yelled Hilda cheerfully.
Climbed up like Edmund Hillary!
Huffing, puffing, scraping knees.
Hilda felt this was a breeze.
Then suddenly it all went dark.
She banged her head upon the bark.

‘Oh look,’ the lady cried below,
‘She’s got my Tiddles don’t you know.’
Well, Tiddles jumped from Hilda’s head
into the lady’s arms outspread.
So all was well or so they thought
until a little voice was caught
upon the wind, above the town.
‘Help me please. I can’t get down.’

About an hour later came
the fire brigade expecting flames.
A fireman with a heavy sigh
climbed to Hilda’s perch on high.
Hilda made her long descent
in position far from elegant.
Over fireman’s shoulder thrown.
Below a crowd had once more grown.

On landing back upon the ground
a red-faced Hilda looked around.
The fire chief took her to one side.
‘What were you thinking?’ he crossly cried.
‘Whatever was inside your head?’
And then to her the riot act read!
And just to make it hunky dory
along came Mum to hear the story.

Hilda hung her head as Mum
stood there looking very glum.
‘Is there anything to say?’
asked her Mum her face quite grey.
‘I’m sorry,’ mumbled Hilda Bright,
‘I really thought I’d got it right.
Until that cat jumped on my head.
Until I was so stuck instead.’

‘I should have thought it out some more,
about my plans so obvious flaw.
As bounding through the air I flew
it should have given me a clue.’
‘That’s your trouble,’ grumbled Mum,
‘it’s obvious that it was dumb.
If you learn from what went wrong
perhaps you’ll sing a different song!’

So, promising her Mum she’d be
The soul of sensibility
Hilda set off out again
determined to control her brain.
Hilda’s Mum then made some tea.
Sipped her cup contentedly.
But suddenly the doorbell rang.
An ominously loud CLANG, CLANG.

And on the doorstep bold as brass
stood her sheepish looking lass
between two policemen tall and grim,
wet like they’d been for a swim.
‘Does this young lady belong to you?’
one said before he sneezed, ‘Achoo!’
‘We’ll leave her to explain right now
just what she did – the why and how.’

So when the policemen squelched away
Hilda tried to turn and say,
‘I only.....’ Mother closed her down;
her face a picture of a frown.
Warned mother, ‘Just what did you do?
And only tell me what is true.’
‘I saw some ducklings in the water.
One seemed stuck so knew I oughta

Try to save the little bird.
Although inside my head I heard
your words say think before I act.
I know that’s true. That is a fact.
So really, I can only say
it seemed to me the only way.
As I jumped in to save the duck
it swam away. Just my luck!

So, the policemen dragged me out
and boy did they begin to shout.
Their helmets like two boats had sunk;
their notebooks only fit for junk.’
Her weary mother shook her head.
What to do she thought with dread.
‘No more acting in such haste.
Other people’s time to waste.’

As Hilda nodded sad and sore.
Her mother tried this piece of lore,
‘Isaac Newton was quite right.
A thing of wonder is hindsight.
You must stop this from today.
No more rushing in this way.’
Hilda slunk off out of sight.
Mum hoped this time she’d seen the light.

As Mum was thinking all was well
she heard the jingling of a bell.
An ambulance passed into view.
‘I wonder where they’re going to?’
thought Mum before she heard a sound
of pounding feet upon the ground.
The front door slammed and all she saw
was Hilda disappear once more.