New volume of rhymes from 91-year-old Mid Sussex poet

Fran said: “Thoughts & Rhymes on Modern Times is a collection of rhymes looking at modern life through my eyes. I’m now the wrong side of 90. Some of the rhymes are whimsical and some look at what I see as the nonsense of modern everyday life. I look back at the good old days rather wistfully now, I have to say. Others are more poignant, philosophical and profound: I’ve reached the stage where there is more of life behind me than ahead of me! My hope is that the rhymes and the illustrations, by Susie Robertson, will all make readers smile. It’s only a small book, so it would make an ideal gift or for friends or relatives who, like me, remember the good old days.

" Parents or grandparents; elderly relatives and friends, they will all relate to the sort of sentiments I express in some of these rhymes, and I hope I can send them on a trip down memory lane! This is my second little book of rhymes. The first one, called Rhymes for our Times, was published in 2019. I’m not sure I have it in me to produce another full book, but my new rhymes are added to my website www.rhymesonmoderntimes.co.uk. The ideas and words for my rhymes just come into my head at odd times, and I am impelled to write them down. I don’t like to call myself a poet, and I don’t like to call my work poetry. That sounds very grand for my little rhymes, and it puts me into the same league as famous poets: that’s not where I belong at all!

“I was born in London in the 1930s, between the wa rs. My life was comfortable: I went to a good school, I had my own horses and I loved sport from an early age. My mother always said I was a silent rebel: well, maybe now I’ve passed 90, it’s OK for me to voice my opinions on anything and everything. The young rebel is silent no more! My life has been colourful, to say the least! I have travelled extensively and had all sorts of adventures along the way. Sport played a large part in my life. When I was younger I loved horse riding, and I reached a high standard in tennis back in the day. I lived for many years in the Algarve and played lots of golf and tennis there.

“Nowadays I have slowed down a bit activity-wise but I still have a keen eye for observing life around me and a wicked sense of humour that allows me to see the nonsense in things. I have children and grandchildren, who think it is very cool to have a granny with raspberry-coloured hair and who is a rhymester – no, I am definitely not a rapper! I write for pleasure and not for profit. The proceeds from my first book were donated to a local hospice and the proceeds from this book will be donated to a number of local charities. My friend Judy Sharp, who helped me put the book together, will be happy to talk to anyone who wants to book me for a reading of rhymes, and Judy will also post copies of my book to anyone who doesn’t do the buying online thing. Her number is 07597 020512.”