And Mr Chaff
was always on
about getting things done,
and to make sure
all our work was done
before we retired
for the night;
and Elsie and I
made sure we did
all our work
before we went to bed,
and leaving Mrs Damson
(the cook)in the kitchen,
we make our way
up to the attic
where our bedroom is,
and it is a small room,
just enough for the double bed,
and chest of drawers,
and a washstand
with a wash bowl and jug,
and a small fireplace
where we were allowed a fire
in winter.
Anyway we get to the room
and shut the door,
and we light our candle,
and draw the shabby curtains
on the day and get undressed.
“Lily,” Elsie says,
“what a day,
glad that's over.”
And it has been
a long day:
up at 5.30am
to light the fires
in the rooms downstairs,
then help Mrs Damson
get breakfast prepared,
and so on, until it was time
to relax in bed and sleep,
but as we get undressed
we have a quick wash
in cold water and dry,
and get into our nightgowns
and climb into bed
and lay down
and snuggle up
to each other,
and she kisses me
and I kiss her,
and that is how we start,
and well we do things
which my mum'd
have her heart stop,
if she knew,
but it is our time
after all
and who knew
except us two
doing what
we liked to do.
Sep 15, 2018
Sep 15, 2018 at 3:09 AM UTC
And Mr Chaff
was always on
about getting things done,
and to make sure
all our work was done
before we retired
for the night;
and Elsie and I
made sure we did
all our work
before we went to bed,
and leaving Mrs Damson
(the cook)in the kitchen,
we make our way
up to the attic
where our bedroom is,
and it is a small room,
just enough for the double bed,
and chest of drawers,
and a washstand
with a wash bowl and jug,
and a small fireplace
where we were allowed a fire
in winter.
Anyway we get to the room
and shut the door,
and we light our candle,
and draw the shabby curtains
on the day and get undressed.
“Lily,” Elsie says,
“what a day,
glad that's over.”
And it has been
a long day:
up at 5.30am
to light the fires
in the rooms downstairs,
then help Mrs Damson
get breakfast prepared,
and so on, until it was time
to relax in bed and sleep,
but as we get undressed
we have a quick wash
in cold water and dry,
and get into our nightgowns
and climb into bed
and lay down
and snuggle up
to each other,
and she kisses me
and I kiss her,
and that is how we start,
and well we do things
which my mum'd
have her heart stop,
if she knew,
but it is our time
after all
and who knew
except us two
doing what
we liked to do.
Two maids in London in 1910
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