Night Traders

Smugglers Tale

                                          Five and Twenty Ponies

They come at dead of night

On the in flowing tide

Following the shielded light

From shore

 

Across the shallow shore

Laden with illicit goods

Un loaded by willing hands

Then quickly and quietly

 

Reloaded for return journey

To waiting craft

As boat returns across the bay

Contraband is loaded to waiting mules

 

By secret paths they wend their way

Wasdale

Eskdale

Miterdale

 

Over high forbidding hills

And dark steep

Unlighted paths

Across the fells to other vales

 

Mosses Trod

Sprinkling Tarn Path

Black Sail Pass

Honister Pass

 

Far Away

Ambleside

Grasmere

Keswick

 

The goods distributed

Hidden in secret, remote place

Burnmoor lodge

Caves and such places

 

Collected later

By those known and trusted  

Past from secret hand

To secret hand

 

Moved at dead of night

Out of sight of customs man

He may see or know

Though he tries all he can

Reviews

[Einstein Noodle]

there is a romantic ring to your poem ... but in light of things smuggled these days I was kept teetering between that romance and the extremely immoral human and drug trafficking of today. I especially appreciate the research you did on the geographically real places ... love the language of it...Wasdale, Eskdale, Miterdale ...and Ambleside, Grasmere, Keswick ...great stuff says i! enjoyed reading!
E.

[Wild Rose]

Thank you Einstein
Yes there is something romantic about smuggling. Perhaps related to being able to beat the authorities

Research ?? We live here (now) and I was a Voluntary Warden for the lake District National Parks [leading guided walks; footpath repairs; courses in water safety, winter mountaineering; First Aid and rescue }

Now our mountaineering days are over she could get up the hills; but unsafe to descend
So a more sedate life and short easy walks > The type many would count as exciting adventures

I love to share our experiences with you

[Einstein Noodle]

i knew you are in England but not the scope of your wanderings ... so rich in history and lore

[Flowers of Eternity]

A nice story indeed..
I like the way you describe the character in your poem...
I really enjoyed it.. 👍

[Wild Rose]

Thank you It could be any place on the 100 miles of Cumbrian coast lots of intertwining paths and tracks along which to move the illicit goods almost impossible to cover them

[Dave Brown]

a somewhat dangerous but lucrative money-making enterprise
Good account
Dave

[Wild Rose]

I agree there dangerous
I believe that is some places smuggling was a thriving activity
read moreI agree there dangerous
I believe that is some places smuggling was a thriving activity
In areas like this: remote a labyrinth of seldom used tracks where the customs men didn't know where the track lead the 'Night Traders' had the upper hand

[Neville]

A superb swashbuckling tale describing the largely nocturnal & otherwise covert doings of smugglers up North... I can very near taste the sea spray my friend, well done ... Neville

[Wild Rose]

Great area for smugglers - Several remote paces to land then a labyrinth of paths over the mountains used to walk them all

[Neville]

Sounds both spectacular & otherwise amazing.. Used to walk around Keswick meself once upon a time.... N