In between times

a small back yard
where there was a mangle
where my mother did the washing
that opened onto the entry
we were the first house in the avenue
must’ve been a secure door
a sort of room on the first landing
used when started school for homework
and if we wanted to read or be on our own
called it our study
lot of the books kept there
mother was a great reader
must’ve been very happy to be there
two sisters who were very conscious about doing their homework
I used to sit and draw
sit and draw
talk in between times and ask for help
they used to fight a lot I was known as mediator
liked being up there
could run down to the kitchen
weren’t stuck up there
could do what you liked
didn’t have to do all your homework there
a place you could read
read a lot of books my mother got from the library
read Lady Chatterley’s Lover before she did
window looked across the entry
could call across to our cousins
are you going for a walk?
the house looked across to our cousins’ home and we called across to them



Myra Ellis
26 Oct 07