Evacuation

SELHURST EVACUATION by Eileen Vickers age 14

Hustle and bustle everywhere
Cries of "goodbye"rending the air
Rucksacks, cases and parcels of food
People in every kind of mood

Cries from daughters, distress from mothers
Schoolgirls of "Selhurst" with little brothers
Crying and howling, or laughing with glee
Happily hoping to go to the sea

Then for the long march to the station
All on this great day of evacuation
Heavily laden the children tramp on
Waving goodbye as they march along

Arrived on the platform they all had to wait
For the train to come in as it was late
Then shouts of joy rose on every side
For by someone the train had been espied

"Where are we going?" was asked once again
("Brighton" it said on the front of the train)
But no one knew until half way there
They were going to Hove to the fresh sea air

"We're nearly there" soon came the cries
(Such patting of hair and straightening of ties)
And then the train stopped and out they all trooped
"Hooray! we're here!" the children all whooped

Outside the station and into the bus
Standing ready and waiting, special for us
Start up the engine and away we go
Straight for the school, though we didn't know

Once at the school, we waited for a home
Feeling like slaves being bought at Rome
But at long last we reached our destination
After the long day of evacuation.

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