NaPoWrMo - Day 29 - I remember

The penultimate poem for April in the NaPoWriMo challenge. The prompt is to write a poem on the theme of I remember. I found great pleasure in writing this....all that nostalgia! This is perhaps one of my most revealing poems about growing up, of the ordinary days, and I think most people of my era will associate with at least some (if not) most of it. There is one line in there which I think might get you wondering....ah the freedom of childhood back then!

My Nana, Mum, my brother and me!

Back Then

I remember the year of 1965, a tent in the garden,

               Mr Tambourine Man on the radio, June, the heat.

I remember Monday mornings, washing flapping

               on the line, clean-sheet smell, cold meat for lunch

I remember those long school holidays, grey August days,

               clouded and wet before the sun and steaming fences

I remember wearing my jeans in the blazing heat and

               a bikini in the garden, red blotches on white skin

I remember the dart board on the shed door, the knife

               I used to arrow into the grass, the thud, the holes!

I remember watching insects for hours, the ants moving eggs,

               the woodlice I kept in a box, the worms I cradled.

I remember my brother’s scooter I raced round the corner

               of what we called the concrete (these days aka patio!)

I remember building an assault course for the dog, getting her

               to jump the sticks, and here I honed my footballing skills

I remember the hours spent in my room inventing new games,

               listening to rock and pop, taping the top twenty on Sundays.

I remember before we had a video the arguments over programmes,

               and then with a video arguments over what to tape

I remember how I took it all for granted, the safety, the love,

               the family unit, the laughter. I remember.

I will always remember.