I Remember
A poem of yesteryear
I remember the cheese of my childhood
and the bread that we cut with a knife
when the children helped with the housework
and the men went to work not the wife.
The cheese never needed a fridge
and the bread was so crusty and hot
the children were seldom unhappy
and the wife was content with her lot.
I remember the milk from the bottle
with the yummy cream on the top
our dinner came hot from the oven
and not from the fridge in the shop.
The kids were a lot more contented
they didn’t need money for kicks
just a game with their mates in the road
and sometimes the Saturday flicks.
I remember the shop on the corner,
where a pen’orth of sweets was sold
do you think I’m a bit too nostalgic
or is it I’m just getting old.
I remember the loo was the lav
and the bogy man came in the night
it wasn’t the least bit funny
going out back with no light.
The interesting items we perused
from the newspapers cut into squares
and hung on a peg in the loo
it took little to keep us amused.
The clothes were boiled in the copper
with plenty of rich foamy suds
but the ironing seemed never ending
as Mum pressed everyone’s duds.
I remember the slap on my backside
and the taste of soap if I swore
anorexia and diets weren’t heard of
and we hadn’t much choice what we wore.
Do you think that bruised our ego
or our initiative was destroyed
we ate what was put on the table
and I think life was better enjoyed.
©
David Rudder
30th July 2020
Thanks for reading.
