Jimmy’s End

Recalling a recent and maybe my last visit to the street I was born on, in St James End locally known as Jimmy's End an area of Northampton bang in the middle of England...

Jimmy’s End

 

As I gaze along

the entire length

of Stenson Street

and across the road

towards the old

red bus depot…

That old Street

now seems nowhere

near as long as

it once did when

I was just a kid

Then up a bit to

Spencer Bridge

near where we

used to live and

fight like cat n dog

and played in

such silly gangs

till bed time

Old Joe Park’s  

fish n chip shop

and the co-op

are now long gone

Saint Jimmy’s church

and the Foundryman

are still there tho

thank f**k

So is Vicky Park and

Churches factory..

I remember days

filled with nowt but

liquorice

and boiled peps

they now call candy

freely given too

from the counter

in the back room

of Gramp and

Grandma’s old

corner shop

That’s where

they used to breed

spotty dogs n

keep real goldfish

in a real

Goldfish pond

I remember thick

bread and butter

butties without butter

Black pudding and

scoffing winkles

with a pin

I remember

old Mrs Bull and

cherry knocking

scrumping apples  

short back and sides

plus those awful

shoulder rides

on the back of a

young priest

still serving time

In those days

Dad had

at least three jobs

and a deal of pride

besides

I remember how

Ma would look

at him and smile

With that look of hers

Such adoration

I’ve never seen

that look

before or since

Aye them

were the days

The cry of

rags and bones

The sound of

ice cream van

Cecil selling

bags of coal and

Stink the dog s**t man

 

Author's Note

happy to explain anything that is not clear.. and I do mean anything.. am conscious that those from outside the UK.. and maybe younger than 40 might struggle...

Reviews

[Ana Papaya]

this took me back to memories of my own old neighbourhood.
every so often I drive through and feel the ghosts.
some things haven't changed and I find that comforting, some things have and I find that comforting too,
I enjoyed this little walk down memory lane, thank Neville.

[Neville]

Bless ya Ana.. I have not yet read my own write.. this one was so darn spontaneous I burnt me fingers on the keyboard...... N

[Ana Papaya]

You are so welcome. I wrote a poem kind of along the same lines once, about the old neighbourhood.
So many memories. Fun to look back and remember the good things, and also appreciate how far you've come. Anyway... :)

[Neville]

anyway and regardless, this renegade thanks ya, and true..... N x

[Lorry]

Ah, they were the days. Rag and bone men have gone digital and the old haunts ache with a gap in the view of now, when a much loved place disappears...Or worse still, is now a bloody coffee shop like every other fourth shop, behind quid stores, bookies and phone shops.
Bring back national srvice, says I, knowing full well im too old now to do it :)
Walking through our youth can bring so many smiles and fond memories. Im tempted to see what is still there from my childhood. :)

[Neville]

Go for it... am sure you would do them justice.. cheers sir.. memories eh.. who would have em... N

[Paul Bell]

Sometimes it's painful going back.
But sometimes it's great to go back to where it all began.
There is always a place and a character that brings back that little chuckle.

[Neville]

Tis good to know I'm not the only one who thinks and feels like that.. cheers..

[Mrudula Rani]

Nostalgia grips heart and mind, when we stroll through the ( memory lane) places of child hood! Your warm recollections of a past that is not too faraway, stirs longing in your readers heart, Neville. Absolutely lovely poem!

[Neville]

Thank you dear M.. you may not believe it when I say this review of yours means a great deal to me.. I was unsure how folk might react to a stroll down Nev's memory lane.. bless ya my friend.. N

[Mrudula Rani]

Neville dear, you have such a good taste, you need't worry what you post here. Your Writing are absolutely wonderful. We all appreciate you for sharing them with us

[Neville]

............. :0 just look at me smile :)

[Mrudula Rani]

You look very handsome!

[Neville]

now I'm laughing....

[Einstein Noodle]

that has got to be the best closing line i have ever read after such a wonderful journey through your growing up days ... tho mine were in the USA .. i easily and fondly plugged in my "gang", playing until the street lights came on .. Sunnycrest Park, Eastwood, Franks Pizza Shop .. all good my friend .. but the treat in reading is your middle of England world ... most of us a all different but oh so the same ;) but i confess... we had no one near your "Stink" the dog s**t man ... :))))))))))) you have to work a poem just for him my friend! Great stuff here says i!
E.

[Gee]

Man that brought memories from my childhood flooding back, the fella delivering sacks of coal into the concrete bunker, the rag and bone man, still on horse and cart, yelling at the top of his voice " rag'n' bone, rag'n' bone " . There was a fella who used to come round sharpening knives, fixing " things", an insurance salesman who used to tell us he was an ex pro footballer, snappily dressed, stinking of aftershave, and we later found out would shag anything given the chance, which down our street of one parent families was a high percentage of the mums.
Morning Neville, enjoyed muchly this trip down memory lane.

[Neville]

Hey, pleasure's all mine, glad it took ya back a bit tho.... hope you are both well up there.. N

[Chris Shaw]

Oh my the similarities, though I was in Hammersmith. The corner sweet shop, liquorice and sherbet dabs which turned your teeth black, red buses, fish and chips, always on a Friday, bread and butter, bread pudding, bread and butter pudding, the rag and bone man, the coal man, the insurance agent, winkles for Sunday tea, threepenny bits and sixpences in the Christmas pudding. Now please tell me about Stink the dog s**t man because that's a new one on me. People did shovel up horse manure left on the roads for their roses. I think we are from a different planet. Oh just remembered cod liver oil and concentrated orange juice, and liberty bodices (yuk). What a delight Neville, we could have been walking hand in hand as kids.

Chris

[Neville]

I think we maybe were our Chris... N x