After Watching Mother.

Your mother
stood over
the washtub
the steam rising upward

she poked the boiling wash
with what she called
her copper stick
pushing it down

and around now and then
wiping sweat
from her brow
and you stood watching

seeing her push
the washing down
with the stick
as if she were a good pirate

plunging with a sword
the bad pirates
from some skull
and crossbones ship

and when she lifted the stick
water fell back down
like grey watery blood
what’s for dinner today?

you asked
it’ll have to be cold meat
and beans and mash
as it’s washday

and I still
have much to do
she said
and yes it was Monday

and Tuesday was stew
and so you left her
with the washing
and imaginary pirates

and the steam
and heat
and went out to play
in the Square with Jim

then along under
the railway bridge
to meet Helen
with Battered Betty her doll

and take a walk
to the Neptune’s
fish & chip shop
for 6d worth of chips

and held Helen’s hand
on the way back
to the Square
then to that place

under the railway bridge
and kissed and left her there.

Comments: 12

Bernard C. Feb 1, 2013, 2:57am UTC

Cute memories - a bag o' chips huh and in good company..well, why not indeed..LOL btw in old money would have been a tanner? guess its none the richer with the sixpence..LOL

Thank you for sharing and submitting to
The Surreal Circus.

Terry Collett Feb 1, 2013, 3:35am UTC

Thank you, Bernard.

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David Prosser Feb 1, 2013, 8:19am UTC

Such a memory Terry. I confess even I remember the copper and then the mangle ready for when the clothes came out.

Terry Collett Feb 1, 2013, 8:26am UTC

Thank you, David. I remember my mother's mangle. I used to play with it.

JOHN BECK Feb 2, 2013, 8:34am UTC

I learned to use the mangle, first for handkerchiefs and napkins, then sheets and table cloths, and finally dress shirts.

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Angela A. Feb 1, 2013, 12:23pm UTC

What a sweet poem!

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Terry Collett Feb 1, 2013, 2:02pm UTC

Thank you, Angela

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Ann Marcaida Feb 1, 2013, 12:46pm UTC

Glad you have retained your inner child, Terry. I can see him skipping through this poem.

Thanks for sharing with Gather's Luminous Writers and Artists.

Terry Collett Feb 1, 2013, 2:03pm UTC

Thank you, Ann.

JOHN BECK Feb 2, 2013, 8:35am UTC

Thanks for also submitting to Gather Writing Essentials. Now featured.

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Ms Lee P. Feb 1, 2013, 2:19pm UTC

I remember watching my mom stand over the wash pot and wash tubs but I can assure you that I did not walk into town to purchase anything. If I had been old enough to walk into town on washday I would have been big enough to assist in the water carrying, washing and scrubbing and hanging of the clothes. You were a lucky little boy.

Terry Collett Feb 1, 2013, 3:47pm UTC

I was lucky. I don't my mother would have trusted me with water carrying though. Thank you for reading & comments, Ms Lee P.

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After Watching Mother.

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Comments: 12

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