News from OVA

TO MY SWEET OTTER VALE.
By Arthur Welsman

Talk not to me of other lands,
Of sunny skies and tropic flowers,
The sweetest spot on all the earth
Is this bright smiling Vale of ours.

‘Tis here the Otter pours its stream
On, ever on, to join the sea
The "English Rhine" is rare to some,
But Otter Vale is all to me.

‘Tis here the flowers deck the meads,
And pine trees crown the, hill tops round.
Such downs and dales and sylvan scenes,
Away from here cannot be found.

'Tis here that Spring doth always spread,
Her choicest robes of varied green,
And those who seek for pleasure here,
Are raptur’d with the beauteous scene.

‘Tis here that lovers like to roam
In pixies’ paths in twilight hours;
To tell their threadbare tale of love
‘Mid green leaf screens and summer flowers.

‘Twas here that I first saw the light,
'Twas here my childhood days were pass'd,
'Tis here I live in manhood’s prime,
And here I hope to breath my last.

First printed in the “Devon Evening Express”, June 15th, 1903.