In Springtime I recall the lilacs sweet scented Growing up the right hand fence at the bottom, Of a rather overgrown and swayward garden. Each flower part of a composite bloom, opening slowly its tiny Trumpet like stamens from where the bees suckled Filling their back legs with yellow powdered nectar Which made honey for sandwiches at teatime.
2. On my way to infant’s school I would clasp Handfuls of sweet cherry blossom petals The tips of each petal turning brown in the sun My shoes covered as I kicked heaps of this candy floss Pink tissue paper along the road as I thought about school And the day ahead, in my brown Clark’s leather sandals.
3.
The smell of the scrapings of new potatoes floating In tap water in a blue polythene bowl in our scullery And on my mother’s cracked, dry and sore hands Ingrained with the dirt from compost and soil. I loved these hands rough yet gentle to stroke a face.