I tell them I am come from
lamplighters, and chimney sweeps...
usherettes – sold ice-creams,
and ladies that ‘did’...
from coppers in the scullery
fuelling weekly, Friday night baths –
from flat-irons, and Ewbank sweepers –
from gramophones, and carpet-beaters...
from Cisco Kid and Pancho –
Rin-Tin-Tin and Zorro...
from 'Saturday Morning Pictures'...
one of Tottenham Ritz’s ‘ABC Minors’.
I am from where children
had to be seen, and not heard...
from weekly syrup-of-figs, and
six-monthly screening for TB...
from a front-room, complete
with piano...kept locked, except
for when Aunt Edna – wax fruit
on her hat, came to tea.
I am the bell of the Rag
and Bone Man...the Shrimp
Man on Sundays and, the dray
of the Corona Man – Mondays.
I am from distant, fickle Rigel,
flickering in a blackberry sky...from
a water-melon moon, dangling
from a willow.
I am the four winds that blow;
the mighty bear, the fleet-footed
panther, the misty-breathed moose,
and the white-freckled fawn.
I am from a moment, long ago,
that knew a fledgling sparrow... fallen
from a nest could spread its wings
and fly.
Comments
Blessing | May 17, 2012 - 13:02
Well captured nostaligic resonance! Simply lovely.
Silver Spun Sand | May 17, 2012 - 13:11
Thanks, Blessing. Pleased you thought so;-)
Tina
skinner_jennifer | May 17, 2012 - 15:32
All the memories you brought back to me Tina, like...
Rin-Tin-Tin and Zorro...
'Saturday Morning Pictures'...
I am from where children
had to be seen, and not heard...
Our piano was in the back room, which my dad loved
to play.
the other stanzas were wonderful too, especially
the last two.
Thanks for sharing Tina.
Jenny.
Silver Spun Sand | May 17, 2012 - 18:46
Pleased you enjoyed, Jenny;-) Many thanks for letting me know.
Tina
scratch | May 17, 2012 - 21:52
Shit that's good. Really fresh and edgy - I love it, simple as that. In fact the best thing of yours that I have read for ages ( and that says it all really!)
Silver Spun Sand | May 17, 2012 - 22:04
Thanks, scratch. You made my evening;-)
Silver
seashore | May 18, 2012 - 09:49
Really, really good, Tina.
Silver Spun Sand | May 18, 2012 - 10:39
So pleased you thought so, Coral, and hey...have a lovely weekend;-)
Tina
MistakenMagic | May 18, 2012 - 18:23
A wonderfully phrased catalogue of your universe, Tina - every image is a poem in itself! Well done on the cherries :-)
Magic xxx
Silver Spun Sand | May 18, 2012 - 18:44
I'm so pleased you could appreciate this one, Magic...much of its content, way, way, way, before our time. It really meant a lot to me that you did.
Have a lovely weekend, dear Magic, and I hope life is treating you well;-)
Tina xxx
MistakenMagic | May 18, 2012 - 18:48
It's three exams down, one to go, Tina! I actually found time to write something this week and I've just posted it - I'd love to hear what you think of my procrastination ;-)
Magic xxx
Sooz006 | May 19, 2012 - 21:37
and ladies that ‘did’.. lovely.
Friday night baths? It was always Sunday in our part of the world, ready for school on Monday.
Again a poem of two parts and again I preferred the first half to the second.
But beautiful, beautiful writing. Gorgeous words, images and memories.
Silver Spun Sand | May 20, 2012 - 12:00
Thanks, Sooz.
It's interesting what you say about your 'bath night'. Definitely Friday's for us...and boiled eggs for tea;-)
Pleased you enjoyed.
Tina
hilary west | May 20, 2012 - 19:43
I thought this was wonderful, so evocative of times gone by. Really special!
Silver Spun Sand | May 20, 2012 - 21:28
Hi there, hilary. Much appreciate you reading this one. Pleased you enjoyed.
Hope the new week is a good one for you;-)
Tina
Denzella | May 21, 2012 - 14:38
Oh, Tina,
How do you keep on doing it? Marvellous, wonderful, evocative imagery. And, oh, the Corona man! I just love the things you write about and the wonderful way that you do it. The way you bring all different images together and turn them into a cohesive whole.
At the risk of being boring this one is right up there with others that I have said are your best yet.
Moya
Silver Spun Sand | May 21, 2012 - 15:03
Moya...I thank you so very much for your enthusiasm. This was a poem I enjoyed writing enormously, and I am really pleased you got so much pleasure from it.
Yes, the Corona man and his Cherryade and what have you;-) No wonder I, at least, had bad teeth!!
Hope the week is a good one for you.
Tina
Kahdai | June 1, 2012 - 22:29
beautyiful thisd one T sorry not online much now hard to type catch up soon ii hope xc K
Silver Spun Sand | June 2, 2012 - 09:00
Great to hear from you, Kahdai. I have missed you;-)
Tina x
Kahdai | June 3, 2012 - 19:34
thankyou I have missed you Silver Spun T and your writing and being on abctales :) a lot of good people I think and them to read :) K x
Silver Spun Sand | June 4, 2012 - 08:30
Kahdai...I have missed you too. So pleased you popped by to see me;-)
Tina x