I Wrote This Poem When I Was 35 (Now 70) It All Came From My Memory Of When I Used To Visit My Grandparents Bungalow In Coventry Poem by Lynette Bednall

MEMORIES OF A CHILDHOOD JOURNEY

I've just turned 35 now my life is flowing by I think of all the memories and give a little sigh
My childhood I remember so happy sad and gay so many brothers and sisters to help me on my way

My Nan I can remember I called her my Nan Nan and Granpap he was lovely a very wise old man
He would sit me on his lap and bounce me up and down calling me his little bird a linnet small and brown
His face was round and bumpy with shiny little warts I sometimes used to wind him and cut his breathing short

My Nan would make us dinner a feast of great delight her yorkshire´s were the greatest her pastries very light
She cooked upon an oven all black and shiny new it ran off coal for heating and boiling water too the room was small and crowded, so cosy to the feel with a door that never opened what did that door conceal
She told us not to peep for behind it was a man who lurked about at night time I peeped through once and ran

The kitchen was so narrow the larder cold and large the floorboards made a clatter as children's feet did charge
Then came the master bedroom it was almost out of bounds my Nan would take me in there and I would gaze around The bed was high and mighty all frills and pillows piled the lacy covered windows it was here my Granpap died.

Out into the garden past hedges growing high one looked like a giant bird I thought that it could fly
I came across a wooden chair I saw it as a throne set back among the bushes that lay heavily overgrown red berries glistening in the sun sticky to the touch I must not eat them Nan Nan says or your tummy you will clutch
It's time to wander on now I reached the apple tree t'was full of fruit for me to pick and best of all was free
I thought that I would sneak one and bit into its flesh
It tasted so delicious as I sat down there to rest
Upon the lawn a see- saw sat just waiting for it's players as well as going up and down it swung around in layers
The chicken run was made of wood you had to clamber up it you saw them cluck and flap about when throwing in a tit- bit another pen was used for pigs smelling not so sweet we played in there at hide and seek munching apples so discreet
A heavenly choir was ringing out from nowhere it seemed to my surprise a church appeared a Sunday school reprieve I listened so intently the music ringing out quite pleasant and relaxing and oh so very calm so tranquil sat there in the tree in my own world full of charm
I made my way across to the side where vegetables grew in full crop there stood a greenhouse so I went inside it's warmth made me feel so hot
A barrel full of water stood firmly on the ground I liked to put my hands in and swish the water round I watched the tiny creatures darting in and out the warning ringing in my ears I would hear my Granpap shout never mess with water for fear that you could drown so beware you little children he would say with such a frown.

I moved on to the next place a room all made of brick there stood a mighty mangle with rollers that went click
Temptation was too much now the handle was ice cold I pushed and heaved with effort to turn those rollers round I tried to put my finger in the pain was so intense t'was time to wander on now this monster had me fenced
I wandered up the winding path to see what I could find a mass of pretty flowers so wondrous in my mind a grapevine right before me was spreading out it's leaves twisting and turning with elegance and ease It offered me it's fruit as if wanting to tease, I tasted one and flinched it was bitter sweet and sour not ready for the picking perhaps a few more hours.
I'm at the pathway close to the fence it's time to peep over the wall a butchers shop window displaying its wares for so many people and all from pigs heads to livers and chickens plucked bare I watched him chopping up bones t'was then he saw me and gave me a wave I blushed and covered my face with my hair It was now time to go
My face was a glow convinced I had finished my dare
The low wall was calling as I struggled to balance a tightrope imagined to be there but Nan- Nan had seen me t'was time to retreat free my task was deferred in the air
The last leg of my journey, was the gate big and burly as I scaled it with effortless ease to look out on the world and see people passing by on busses creating a breeze.
I gave them a smile a face seemed familiar my eyes lit up very bright for it was my Mother and my journey had been a delight