Allotment Fever


I must go down to the allotment again, to the plot where my cabbages grow,
And all I ask is a trowel and a spade, and a packet of seeds to sow.
And a rake and a hoe and some organic spray
And some netting to keep all the pigeons away.

I must go down to the allotment again, for I need to cull the weeds
They’re growing so fast in the sun and the rain, they’re smothering all my seeds.
And all I ask is for weather that is … just exactly right,
And a healthy crop to plump and grow, without any mildew or blight.

I must go down to the allotment again, to put in some hours of toil
Clear slugs away, and snails away, and mulch and enrich my soil.
And all I ask is for soft, moist ground, unsullied by pebble or stone
And for white-fly and pigeons and all other pests, to leave my cabbage alone.