My Dad was a Navy man
Through and through
When home on leave
In his unform and hat
Bell bottom trousers
Plus black shiny boots
He would kick them off
Come in and
Pour a glass of beer
And go into a snooze
When awake!
Call out and say;
When I got home from school,
"Love" go to the chippy shop
For six pennorth of chips
Plus a bit of huss to
Cos: Mum was busy all the time
With us 6 kids
I would get on my olde
Lady Daisy bike and pedal
Away fast!
Get to the chippy shop
In I would go
I was only knee-high
To a grasshopper
My money in my hand
I could just reach the counter top!
It would have been in a paper shaped cone
Then wrapped in newspaper
In those days
I would give it shake of salt n pepper
Vinegar, squirt of tomato sauce
Put it all in my saddle bag
To get back home quick!
When I got in he would be bawling! about
"Wash your hands before you sit down
He did go on and on!
We all sat at table family of 8
The boy's would sit and shout!
Be quiet! No talking at the table
Mum chatted put her "six pennorth" in
Eat your "Carrot's
"so you can see in the dark"
And your green's
Make your hair curl
What!.
An inspection would take place
Show us your nails Pop would say:
"Whose" Bitten them to-day"
There'll get a clout
Course I did that was nerves.
But my dear little sister then
Younger than me
Look! "Daddy I don't bite mine"!
I wanted to scream
He taught the cat to take
Food out of his mouth!
So of course when it smelt fish
He would sneak up
And take a bit of the dish
T.V was a shilling in the slot!
If it it ran out
He would bellow!
That's your bloody lot
Then pop
Would slope!
Off! into the damp cold front room
Sit and play,
Honkey tonk,piano,accordion to
Or maybe play the spoons
The violin would squeal a top note!
As the dog,in tune
Seemed to how1
No patience to teach us
He would lift the lid you see
Tell me and show me the scales
And chords and octaves
I could do chop-sticks
Play the scales
No good close the lid quick!
He would blow smoke into statues
To make it look real.
We must be like pictures
On the wall seen and not heard
We wished he would go back
In the Navy soon
He would take boy's if home
Along the pub!
They come home drunk
Sit in the loo
Singing from a telephone book!
Probably the effects
From making his last
Dandelion wine!
It was an outside toilet
We would wait one by one
Someone did the electricity
Put the bloody switch on wrong
Come into the scullery
Switch out the light
Someone shout!
Put on that bloody!light
Even the Myna bird joined in
Could say:
"Where's Dad"
Along the pub
A real crazy family
If only he was hear to-day x
.
T.Cook Editor of Abctales Tony
Thanks if too long delete.please.
Comments
kheldar | February 15, 2010 - 23:52
Hi Julie,
This is by far my favourite of all your poems. You've got it listed as a story, you may want to change it to poem so that the poetry readers out there get to see it.
It's funny, nostalgic, heart warming and teriffic.
David xx :--)
Cavalcaderl | February 16, 2010 - 00:35
new kheldar
Oh! Gee I nearly gave up!
Well it is meant to be a poem.
How do I do that then.Right side
says story.Glad you liked it,What
ever I do in life,sorry or try I can
only accept one helping me,cos;I get muddled.
Sorry.What a life, from this poem.
Yes, it's very long.Editor kindly answered
query,one parent etc; told him to cut it down
etc:he will help me,and other's if I do a song
Or anyone teaches me can only be one,I was always like that cos:my nature,
sorry.I have 2 here always changing their minds
But I thank all on Abctales.The mind is a complicated thing.You can imagine sorrow,jealousy,
illness in family,animal's before us.May read "Mangle
mess of some life's Experiences. see.Oh! I am a silly billy,found what you mean,late tired done so.Thanks so much.Plus if been htrough a lot,thing's
not so easy.
julie x night..Thankyou glad you like it.
insertponceyfre... | February 16, 2010 - 07:27
Hello Julie - I'm going to echo what Kheldar said - a lovely, gentle, affectionate picture of a family. I really enjoyed reading it - thank you xxx
shoe | February 16, 2010 - 10:30
Julie, I loved all of this story \ poem, and can identify with so much of it, We had to get 50p of chips, or 50p in electricity, even the mynah bird, they talk so much, ours would say " light the fire I'm cold", you have a unique and wonderful way of describing things, hope things get easier for you.
Beeme | February 16, 2010 - 11:10
I really enjoyed this, my favourite poem of yours too. Such a heart warming view into family life. It's fabulous Julie :-)
Beeme XX
tcook | February 16, 2010 - 12:38
You're on fire, Julie - your best yet! Congratulations.
Cavalcaderl | February 16, 2010 - 18:08
new insertponceyfre
Thankyou so much for your kind compliments
All perfectly true,much much more!Good bad sad.
I cannot believe made the IP
and and Cherry! from the Editor
t.Cook Tony,and congrats:
too,plus he would or will help me
punctuation marks,and if delete if
to long.
Tears have fallen,and shout's Oh!my God.
I love reading everyone's.
Cavalcaderl | February 16, 2010 - 18:16
new shoe
Thankyou so much but IP
and the cherry!I shouted
Oh!my god,and tears came.
I am sure it was Editor t.Cook
Tony, said: ok. to it,help me too.
Thankyou to you and all Abctaler's
Or Tony will do.
Oh! Myna Bird was black
orange beak,quite ugly,but if pop
not at work sick then,that's what bird would say.
Well used to then go onto friend,watch t.v.
If late home round the corner,door bolted no key!
Mum could come down,let me in.
That's a clever saying "Light the fire I'm cold"
Tell me more, of your's.
Yep; pop had to be kept warm,cancer,but parrafin stove did his wing's in, no good.
You had more community.Neighbour's cup sugar or
couple eggs.Cos; can't get punctuations,properly.
Was same at school.Not grasp all things.
julie xx
Cavalcaderl | February 16, 2010 - 18:18
new Beeme
Thankyou so much Beeme.
So pleased,awe far worse than that.
She ran away after 30 years,
with someone else.Another story.
I am sure. Editor t.Cook has or will
work,on this or has as said:
I was at the end of my tether punctuations.
Now tears have fallen,and shouts, Oh!my god.
Is better than winning the pools.
I love reading your's to,thankyou your help.
julie xx.
Cavalcaderl | February 16, 2010 - 22:41
new kheldar
Wow! Thankyou,
so much for your great
advice and wonderful words.
Every bit Ive put,is totally
true.Tears of joy,and amazing
Screams.Oh,My god no!shock!
Must finish reading your's
and your help.Well done!on the idea
of IP. and your poem started it.
IP.and cherry!But 100% sure,t.Cook
Editor Abctales. (Tony)
Did or would help me as sid.Kindly.
No awful life.By his side,at the end.
watched brilliant film t.v.
"Nigel Havers" great "Glass Virgin".
I ended in tears!The part he played
and the whole story.
julie xx
Nathan Bednarek | February 17, 2010 - 00:15
Well done Julie. A cherry richly deserved. A big well done from me ;-)
Nathan xox
Cavalcaderl | February 17, 2010 - 23:00
new Nathan-Bednarek
Thankyou lovely comment
glad you liked it.
which bit. did you like?
I checked with
Editor Abctales re: I.P
Tony answered ok.go ahead.
will help me punctuations,to
difficult,to much for me.
I am 100% sure he has or will.
I was gobsmacked to see it's
cherry! picked,difficult one try.
Four times I have tried to reply,
no glasses on lost it all.Re:Mum and dad.
He was so clever,both later in life,one ran off
after 30 years,some one.And pop was once Painter and Decorator,and made models aircraft carrier on,ship he was on.Made model's.
of St.Paul's cathedral.window's toffee silver wrapping paper;s.Both at there side! one by bed all night and me in all. me,and Mum Nursing home,loved as more time than other's.Mum get on the pier late in life!singing and dancing.
I hit wrong key capitals,press button lost all this.
Four brother's and one sister,that's another story.Illness.poverty kind of unloved,but always provided.I wanted them to divorce at 14 years old.I was then,he grew Rhubarb:curly kale,sweet peas flowers,
and potatoes we all mucked in.Podded the peas on a sunday,took bad out. aoanto sunday school what for after they rowed1
Made us try winkles.I liked getting them out with a pin,but to eat ugh!
Read "The mangle mess of some of life's experiences"
Here! your see. Plus "The Leopard skin coat"=my mum's.
Hectic,poverty,life,animals' love,drama,Brother's then.I was by there side one at home,pop time came.One at N/Home Mum I manged to go about 9 times. within week last visit mine changed his mind, going,she had died.Both 6 months to live.That's enough to me.What! are material thing's
nothing,I was a carer for while,but the other's took over.All but one was and oldest at sea. Pop never day off work,but took heavy drink and chaser's
Whiskey barley wine,potent killer. oh!dear.Cancer no one tell me,as I had big operation to,but I knew.He then worked in nursing homes,doing all.Piano playing,care and shopping,electric jobs to.Xmas dinner's load to much out of this world wasted two of us went to help.
Antics of brother's did then as boy's fun and drama they got up too. N/Home got wrong number 2.am called
after been "Pride" festival, met friend long term in caf'e we chatting saying Mum be there, singing and dancing,she would have done.80. we enjoyed ourselves,dancing and my parasol,photo some photoed.Shock! wrong number hubby took,phone at 3.am.
Something about my sister;I rang Nursing home,and her number both engaged.I knew then,got the in-law,but difficult to speak so I asked;yes afraid so died put the phone down on me.The funeral was taken by my priest at the time,and prayer's all went well.till after funeral.Week later.Can't say.But have nothing to do with her.families no sorry,it is not worth it sometimes,do all.Pop Brought me up not to trust no one.I wished later in life! I had but one trusts' some/! but world is not really so safe now,I found out.If you find time to read,never put this,comment, then I will delete it.Mum came to live near by and with the man then,both d.Wanted all and they weren't young.
I rang is it true! afraid it is so.That Nursing home promised to let me know!I would hold her hand and kiss her bye,and my pop.All past begone!
Well on way out,
thankyou xx
I have only altered an apostrophe I put in forgot,and
word =(I.P)
Cavalcaderl | February 18, 2010 - 20:46
new tcook Editor of Abctales
Dear Tony,Gobsmacked.
and to All the Abctales Team
Thankyou and all who answer and comment.
My goodness me.IP and a cherry!
I am sure that you have had a great
hand in all of this can't find all
my stanzas to check and words.
Thankyou for all your help,
or will correct for me please!
I was shouting Oh!no an having a scream.
as I ran out into the kitchen
he was washing up I was stunned.
This is dad and Mum broke up
after 30 awful years, but I was by their
sides one at home,beside his bed.
and one nursing home at the end.
Well a Mis-Demeaner on abcTales previously,
said: "Mangle Mess of Some Of Life's Experiences"
could be made into something special.So tried IP.
Yes. I am on fire! phones just gone to check!about
Saturday can't let the cat out the bag yet! if I
read poem to.I was going to ask you
few weeks' back, which one to do?
If do, may think of "Shimmy-Shimmy-Shake"
Or "Green Eyes" cat "Jazz".If read?
What say you:
Thankyou so much.Tony
Just Re-read it is definitely changed.
Expertly done! The word's capitals,
and new lines of stanza fantastic.
Thankyou.And thge correct capital,and word's
to follow, in the right tense.
Thaankyou. So much.Comments fab:
I have answered Nathan-Bednarek
but added much more to story of (I.P)
Only to him,if you read.Interesting and sad.
should I delete after,so long story.etc:
julie x Abctales.