The
Ballad Of Bill Billings
So where
did he come from this Bill Billings
Back
from the time of rationing pound, pence and
shillings
When
No-one had broken the four minute
mile
He had
talent, he had drive, he had his own original
style
In a
dull world full of hate and
negativity
He
kicked open a gate to let in hope and
creativity
He used
a range of colours, oranges, reds and
turquoise
He
encouraged the imagination and participation of a
host of girls and boys
They
achieved things beyond their wildest
dreams
Gained
so much confidence, raising self
esteem
He did a
thousand good things in a world that can be so
cruel
He
encouraged all of us from the warmth of his
heart
We will
all be reminded of him by his public works of
art
From
Wolverton's Secret Garden to Bletchley's Leon
School
His
outdoor work must pass the test of winter wind and
rain
For me
one of his best is the magnificent long canal side
mural of the train
Figures
on a street wall simple and complex
A
friendly dinosaur, a giant Tyrannosaurus
Rex
A
crocodiles smile, the skin of a
lizard
All
conjured up skilfully by a benevolent
wizard
I can
picture him standing by a colourful creation, its
long tail winding
I recall
him laughing and joking and still hear him effin
and blinding
He
didn't care much for fashion; he wasn't bothered
about the trends
For life
and art he had such passion, he made so many
friends
At times
like this a little sadness is hard to
resist
And
no-one knows for sure if heaven really does
exist
If it
does I'd give odds he's up there now painting
portraits of the gods
Should
you see a spectacular sunset going down over Milton
Keynes' hills
Take a
deep breath, have a close look, it could be one of
Bills
A
tribute to Bill Billing
By
Leslie Jeffrey