Shadows of my Past

In days of old when I was young

Shadows of My Past.

Tinker calls now and then

Sharpens knifes do he

Wooden frame pushed along

Sandstone wheel- pedal power that be

Saturday sometimes be

Gas works go

Silver cross pram no babe in here

Fuel for stove fire it be.

Sunday Salvation Army

Granny’s home later go

He be Chimney swipe i know

Three story high mansion to me

Sweet jar in cupboard, penny’s too

War coupons co-operative store

Overhead line cash it takes

No CashTill- here

Fresh eggs put under light

Check for what, I’m not sure.

Elms at Easter

Businessman be

From the wood yard in the lane

Silver sixpence, one we have.

First TV Black and White

Rawhide Clint Eastwood

Highway Patrol Broderick Crawford

Broom upside down for broken leg

No electric, gas lights instead

Whip and top, hoops, Dobbers to (sling)

Pea- shooters, Pen knifes, a must for boys

Policeman on foot be scared of he

Large belts for punishment be

Baking cakes, bread as well

“Well” bottom of street, i see

 

Washhouse outside, only Mondays be

Copper boiler fire below

Dolly tub, mangle, adjust the ringer, Turn, turn

Corner shops, no supermarkets, no sliced bread then

Lead soldiers, tin toys, wooden fort for all

“Penny” toys so much more

Play in the street, parks Safe all safe

Leave doors unlocked could we

Loo down the garden

Contraption it be

Belfast sink, cold tap had we

Black range oven fire both

Iron on oven with cloth in hand

Tin bath once a week we share

Brick in oven, wrap in paper hot water bottle be

Four in a bed Two top two bottom

Who wet the bed boys " boys four that be

Playing bank of river i do fall

Under i go i do not swim

Fast flowing- carried away

Arms outstretched

Branch or grass do hold

It breaks away i try again

Pull, pull to safety so

Wet, wet home i go

Trouble no, no one at home

Boys are boys………….and so it should be.

 

 

 

 

Reviews

[Beccy]

This so reminds me of stories my grandma used to tell my sister and I when we were children, oh, so many years ago. She used to hold fresh farm eggs up to the light. 'So I can see the size of the yolk,' she once told us. She also had a sweet jar in the pantry and if we were good, we could choose on Saturday afternoons. She passed away almost twenty years ago now, I still miss her terribly.

Thank you for the memories. Beccy.

[John Preston]

Yes this i wrote is so cramped for saying it covers a few years. As for the egg, i remember the Co-op had a tray that they put the eggs on, then switched a light on and you could see inside, just like your nan showed you. one on my nan's had a sweet jar also above the mantel and we went every Sunday. I've written a little about my past i might write some more on here.
And thank you Beccy for your comment. I hope when i've gone to a better place my works will be here for many years after.

[Beccy]

I have a cherished black and white picture of my father in a tin bath, with grandma bathing him. They're next to the open fire in the house they first owned when they moved from Wales to Northampton, which was around 1952.

Nothing remains the same, but memories, and of course the written word, last forever.

Beccy.

PS. Grandma never ever locked the front door of the house in her life

[John Preston]

OK then, yes we -all four boys had to bath in front of the range fire in the kitchen in the galvanized bath - i think it was on a Saturday. So the last one-well the water was a little soapy?
Your right about the front and back doors also. I've moved into town here and lived just outside an Hamlet about 5 miles away and only locked the door at night- went out shopping and so on leaving the door unlocked. There is on 10 houses on the lane. The house its surrounded by fields to three side. So real country side.