Published in a collection of Cornish myths and legends this short poem tells of the sweet and lowly tale of how the River Tamar came into existence.
Tamara was a one time sprite
Before man had invented time
The daughter of two troglodites
Who found their darkened cave sublime
Within the earth they shunned the light
And would not share their child’s delight
As she ran free
Most joyously
Across the moor towards the sea
Soon upon these carefree outings
She was joined by two young giants
Taw and Tavy, where her pouting
Lips and eyes that sparked defiance
Had the giants’ love-buds sprouting
Had them self-penned sonnets of spouting
As she ran free
Most Joyously
Across the moor towards the sea
Both the love-struck boobies doted
On Tamara to distraction
Begged that one of them be voted
Favourite but her reaction
Was to say – and here I’ve quoted:
“Both of you should be devoted
While I run free
Most Joyously
Across the moor towards the sea”
Just then, this ‘tete a tete atete’
Was interrupted by her father
Who claimed: “You’ve stayed out far too late”
But Tamara said: “I’d rather
Stay some more, I’ve come to hate
Our dreary cave – up here is great”
Where she ran free
Most joyously
Across the moor towards the sea
At this her father gave a yell –
Directing it at Taw and Tavy
Cast a universal spell
Put them to sleep and with a wave he
Turned Tamara in that dell
Into a stream – that burbling fell –
And then he ran free
Most joyously
Across the moor towards the sea
The giants woke and ran home screaming
Where poor Tavy’s warlock father
Realised there’s no redeeming
Tavy from his love-lorned lather
So he satisfied his dream and turned his son into a stream –
Then he ran free
Most joyously
Across the moor
And joined Tamara
Thence together to the sea
What though was poor Taw’s position
In despair for his lost lover?
He too sought out a wise magician – (enter magician)
Who transformed him, like the other
Once again the liquid lover
Flowed in search of intersection
But too late, poor Taw discovered
He flowed in the wrong direction!
While they ran free
Most joyously
Across the moor towards the sea –
Though near their source
Apart their mouths
North lay his course
Photograph –
CS12/10759 View of Tamar Bridge from the East c1967 (Picture courtesy of Charles Woolf Slide Collection, University of Exeter Penryn Campus. Copyright Estate of Charles Woolf)
