Wednesday 28 September 2011

Unforseen Dangers

The bombsite beckoned
daily as I hung over
the iron railings
dividing our worlds, and
watched
as you
clambered
among the debris.
A skeleton building
whose ragged walls
pointed upwards
accusingly.
Territory forbidden
due to
unforseen dangers
I longed to explore.
It was, however,
imperative
that I remained
housebound
to save my
skinny knees
from grazing
or scuffing of my
white T-bar sandals
or, heaven forbid,
from unexploded
joy.
You were older
and not female
and therefore,
inevitably,
free of
the
need
to be
careful.

9 comments:

  1. What makes you think of these, Penny? You put me in that little girl's T-bar sandals, watching the lad enjoying the new dangerous environment.

    x

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  2. Oh Sweet Jo, they are just tiny fragments of memory that spill out onto the page. I was a secret poet for years - not so secret anymore now that I can share them here and have been lucky that they are so warmly received, I'm feeling much braver about them. Thanks for your encouragement petal. pen x

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  3. I love the pictures you 'paint' with your words, Pen. A wonderful poem. Thanks for sharing it.

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  4. Wow! This is really beautiful. Powerful and strong with an interesting ending - Bravo! AND thank you for your sweet birthday message to my little one, xoxo

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  5. Love the way your words just flow over my mind creating delightful pictures...thank you

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  6. You paint a vivid picture with your wonderful words Pen! x

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  7. wow, this is so powerful and very interesting end

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  8. this reminds me of my dads tales of when he used to play on bomb sites and with shrapnel after the war

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  9. Bonjour Betsy/Penny:) I wanted to drop in and say "Merci beaucoup" for visiting my blog and leaving a comment on Marie's tutorial for the clay frame. I've so enjoyed reading your poetry!! The beekeeper one is delightfully full of double meaning:)

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