The Smell Of Greens

Cherry

By jolono

Tue, 03 Jul 2012
  • 7265 reads
31 comments
 

Memories of lino and
Nicotine stained wallpaper
Tin bath in the yard
Ascot at the sink
Esso blue for heat
Larder full of nothing
Mum Cooking, sweating
The smell of greens
Boiling in the kitchen
Must drink the water
All waiting for Dad
In from work, quick
Scrub at the sink
All sat down now
Elbows off the table
Eat up everything or
No room for afters
Sitting down, fire roaring
Quick game of cards, then
Down to the sweetshop
Two ounces of this and that
Black and white tele
Only three stations
Mum holding the aerial
Stop, just there, don’t move
The Virginian’s on!

Certificate U
Poem
Autobiography

Comments

Submitted by Parson Thru on
Love this jolono. It's all there and rendered without an ounce of lard. Brilliant. "They asked me how I knew, it was Esso Blue..." How many hours did I spend in a bathroom heated by that stuff? No wonder I write the way I do! Nice one.

Parson Thru

Submitted by jolono on
Thanks PT, I think you have to be of a "certain age" to get it!

 

Submitted by Sooz006 on
I've always thought of you as considerably younger than me ... but now I'm not so sure. because... ...Ascot at the sink .... I don't remember Ascot (other than the racecourse) Please explain, I need to know. Bum, bum, bum, bum Esso Blue. I think this is great apart form one line...All sat down now. You've already used All to begin a line a few up and you use sat instead of sitting. The nostalgia makes up for it though.

 

Submitted by Rigel on
Of a certain age, or not...great stuff, jolono. Rigel

Submitted by jolono on
Thanks Sooz, considerably younger? No chance, 54 going on 20! Ascot heater was the only source of hot water in the house. We only had one tap in the house ( in the kitchen) and of course it was cold! The Ascot heater fitted above the sink and turned your cold water into hot, a miracle! But do you remember The Virginian, with James Drury and Doug McClure!

 

Submitted by jolono on
Funny how we called ours a Kitchen but my Nan who lived in the same kind of house, always called hers a skullery! Perhaps we thought we were posh!

 

Submitted by jolono on
Thanks Rigel, poetry not one of my things really but like to try from time to time.

 

Submitted by Edenfalls on
Very well done on the cherries mate, well deserved. This will resonate with a lot of people our age, I'm sure!

Submitted by Silver Spun Sand on
I wish I could turn my hand to prose, as well as you turn yours to poetry, jolono. Thoroughly enjoyed, and it took me back, most certainly...and ours was a scullery too, painted in cabbage-green, shiny paint as it happens;-) Much enjoyed. Tina

 

Submitted by jolono on
Thanks EF. Glad you liked it.

 

Submitted by jolono on
Thanks Tina, I prefer stories but like to have a go at poetry, sometimes it works, sometimes it,s horrendous!

 

Submitted by seashore on
"sometimes it works, sometimes it,s horrendous!" We all know that feeling, jolono - but this one certainly works. Good stuff.

Submitted by jolono on
Thanks seashore, I have page after page of poetry on my computer that has never seen the light of day and never will! It's awful....

 

Submitted by Denzella on
Cor Blimey Mate, That didn't 'arf resonate! Falling out with friends the ultimate insult 'Your Mum's passage smells of greens!' Well deserved cherries and I echo Tina, you do both prose and poetry so well. Moya
 

Submitted by jolono on
Thank you Moya, thought of you as I wrote it, not that you smell of greens, just because of the similiar backgrounds!

 

Submitted by Denzella on
I'm blinking glad to hear it! Eau de cabbaage is not a fragrance I want to use, thank you very much. No, I lean more towards Chanel's newest fragrance Eau de Brussel Sprout! Per Homme...ring any bells? Moya
 

Submitted by MistakenMagic on
All this is a bit before my time, jolono, but I enjoyed it nonetheless! You paint a brilliantly vivid picture and I was transported back there with you. Well done on the cherries! Magic xxx

 

Submitted by jolono on
Thanks MM, just a bit of nostalgia!

 

Submitted by jolono on
Yes it does!

 

Submitted by scratch on
Jolono, you have certainly struck a chord with this one, it's bloody fantastic. 'The Virginian' of course we remember it. I dropped a pice of beet root into my dads cup of tea just as it started one time - it fiitted perfectly, round and purple into his cup - I won't tell you what happens next.

 

Submitted by scratch on
Sorry, I forgot to mention that this is a rather spiffing poem dear boy.

 

Submitted by jolono on
Thank you scratch, coming from an established poet as yourself is a compliment indeed!

 

Submitted by jolono on
By the way you don't look old enough to remember it!

 

Submitted by fatboy74 on
I agree with magic - it is a really vivid picture and a well deserved cherry. Cuts out all the stuff we don't need. nice one.

 

Submitted by jolono on
Thanks FB, not my usual thing so thanks a lot.

 

Submitted by hudsonmoon on
Oh, man, Jolono. Did this bring back memories. Only it was me holding the antennae while my dad watched The Lawrence Welk Show. Good for him. Nightmare for me. lol. wonderful piece. Rich

 

Submitted by jolono on
Cheers Rich, Lawrence Welk Show? Don't know that one.

 

Submitted by hudsonmoon on
The Lawrence Welk show was a weekly variety show from this side of the pond, featuring acts that only a grandmother could love. lol. Rich

 

Submitted by jolono on
Ahh, was wondering, i'll google it! Thanks Hudson!

 

Submitted by Vodka.Flowers. on
Oh wow, I really loved this! Really well done, it even made me a bit homesick.

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