John Papworth - A dogerel to say bye

The biggest event in my world this month was the death of my great old friend and “mentor” John Papworth. You will find suitable obituaries for him in the Times, the Telegraph and the Church Times. John was the energetic catalyst for many great thinkers who pioneered new ways of looking at the world in the important years between 1970 and 1990. This is the short doggerel I wrote for the private service at his woodland burial. It will give you some idea of this unusual, independent minded and gifted man.

The full obituary I wrote for the Church Times follows here.

JOHN PAPWORTH

John the Cook, the Scribe, the Dad

Full of wisdom though some thought him mad

His meals delicious, spiced with love

Sumptuous bounty from the good Lord above

With bags of energy, never bored

His pen was mightier than the sword

He preached and spread the word of God

Though some senior clerics though him odd

Great pals with Schumacher, Seymour and Kohr

Nicholas A, Kirkpatrick Sale and many more

He inspired “Resurgence”, the “Fourth World” too

Great visionaries like John are all too few

John was a great actor, orator and friend

Knew Shaw and Shakespeare from end to end

He changed my life and that's no lie

So I've come today to say “Goodbye”