The Inaugural Manning's Pit

Poetry Competition

12 -18 First Prize

Ryan Vowles  (Pilton)
Together

	Ryan says: I've written a few poems at school both recently and when I was much younger and have always absolutely loved it! I'm never really sure where the inspiration for something comes from, but here it seems that it is from a love of Mannings Pit and a short sit down there next to the river. I've always loved the fields, since I used to go there with my grandad, and as I've gotten older, I've been able to explore further and further on my own. It's a wonderful and unique place, and I hope my poem in some tiny way will help preserve it for future generations Ryan was 14 when he wrote his poem which is called Together
	At Manning's Pit there is a path that weaves between the trees, There are great oaks and sycamores that shed their golden leaves. At Manning's Pit there is a stream that flows with a silver shine. There are mossy walls of earth that have stood the test of time. A gentle percussion of trickling, echoes from this stream, While a beautiful chorus of birdsong dances down from high in the trees, Then in come the flutes, as a gust of wind soars by, Followed by a solo, by a very talented Magpie. Who needs an orchestra when you can spend 5 minutes here. Together with Mother Nature and all that she holds dear. Some places have a power, that just can't be explained, They capture the mind and keep it, politely restrained, And somehow, they can manage to bring people together, A special breed of magic that has existed forever, And as man grows more divided, such a power is what we need And it can be found right here, somewhere among the trees. However, with anything this special, so beautiful and well known, Comes a natural enemy, a sly serpentine foe. This is fundamental, it is written in the stars, With all that is good comes evil, with all love comes harm. Yet, these cosmic writers, they forgot one little thing, They never mention which of these they have destined to win. And that's because the victor isn't chosen by mere fate. They are chosen by the passion and the effort that we make. So make a lot of effort, put your heart and soul into it And maybe, together, we can Save Manning's Pit.