I stood by the river

following it flow,

throwing in stick boats

watching them go.

Under hanging branches

pass the grassy banks

racing under bridges

navigating  shallow beds,

there go the stick boats

moving at a pace

changing their positions

in the river race.

Children watch this granddad

shouting out some names

running along the footpaths

waving about his arms,

come on Percy Lolly stick

beat Matilda Twigg

watch out  Oak Stick

Pine Cones coming round the bend.

Then the children watching

all begin to join in

and suddenly the River Race

has a large following.

Crowds are shouting

as it comes to the fall

the first one over

winner takes all.

Now every year

what granddad started

is carried on

over a hundred named lolly sticks

run the route

that he began.

Oh it is in dreams

too simple for today

nothing Wii or X Box

just lolly sticks to play,

so  let it be

I am the granddad

and I do admit to racing sticks

in my river race.