The speech therapist

when my love swears that she is made of truth

the words come down the wrong half

we can’t - we are – learning unlearned

I do believe her, though I know she lies

in the world's false subtleties
not the half, the other we will learn to speak

although she knows my days are past the best

helpless helpless, paralysed

I credit her false-speaking tongue
it’s coming spent, it’s half through

but wherefore says she is not, she is
hard to describe

therefore I lie with her, and she with me,
it’s half through, we hope it will

BE.

Anonymous

31^st July 2009

elephant for memory

Making Memories, Gallery Oldham

Belle Vue

with my father in the 30s

getting on an elephant

(long way to fall)

man who led it had

a turban, long cloak and a stick

the camel, the bumps

skirting the gardens

a speedway club, a rider

Belle Vue, all the animals watch

sealions

lions in sadness

the giraffe’s face tells a story

in itself

all the animals from Africa

and Asiatic countries watch you

pass the doors

speedway every Saturday

Jack Pie, Bingo

Stock Cars, Top Ten Club

can’t go wrong

get on an elephant

(long way to

fall)

Group Poem 
Springboard, Oldham

For more information about the Making Memories Project please visit arthur-and-martha.blogspot

Union Street

Making Memories, Gallery Oldham

Local books, lots

It were interesting, on the corner, up a few steps – packed

Beano characters, Korky the Kat, Desperate Dan, Dennis the Menace, Biffo - all

Reading poetry

Assorted, all sorts

Realistic fairy-stories

Yesterdays in sections, years since I went in there, on Union Street.

Alice
The Grange Supported Housing, Oldham

For more information about the Making Memories Project please visit arthur-and-martha.blogspot

Slok

Making Memories, Gallery Oldham

Slok

The first slok we learned:

you are my mother and father brother and friend you are my knowledge

wealth and world you are everything to me, my everything

Mukam karoti vacha lum, Pangu lungam te girim

Yatracrup tam hum vande, Parama nandam madhavam

praying to god the one who gives speech to the one who is dumb

gives strength to the lame to climb the mountain, therefore O lord I bow down to you

Tvamev mata ch Peeta tvamav, Tvavmev bandhu ch sakha tvamev

Tvamev vidhya dravinam tvamev, Tvamev sarvam mumdev dev

Hansa

September 2013

Indian Association

For more information about the Making Memories Project please visit arthur-and-martha.blogspot

spends

Making Memories, Gallery Oldham

four brothers, three sisters

shilling a week spends

dad was a tailor

all got our ration of spends

all got our spends

couldn’t sponge anything else

had to ration it

don’t let one eat them all

happens in a big family

all got our spends

didn’t buy a lot

four brothers, three sisters

pudding was fruit

slices of apple were all

the sweets after a meal

if it went all at once it was

all your own fault

with eight, they couldn’t afford

to give more to one than another

three sisters, and four.

Agnes

Springboard Group, Oldham

For more information about the Making Memories Project please visit arthur-and-martha.blogspot

Slok

Making Memories, Gallery Oldham

Slok

The first slok we learned:

you are my mother and father brother and friend you are my knowledge

wealth and world you are everything to me, my everything

Mukam karoti vacha lum, Pangu lungam te girim

Yatracrup tam hum vande, Parama nandam madhavam

praying to god the one who gives speech to the one who is dumb

gives strength to the lame to climb the mountain, therefore O lord I bow down to you

Tvamev mata ch Peeta tvamav, Tvavmev bandhu ch sakha tvamev

Tvamev vidhya dravinam tvamev, Tvamev sarvam mumdev dev

Hansa

September 2013

Indian Association

For more information about the Making Memories Project please visit arthur-and-martha.blogspot

Oxo

Making Memories, Gallery Oldham

Snakes and ladders game, from Oldham Galleries Handling Collection.

Oxo

O Saturday afternoon, Oldham Edge

truth, dare, force

kiss such a body

marbles and all sorts

kiss a girl called Edith

Oldham Edge, backside of gasworks

a spine of hills, trees, grassed top

cross from Higginshaw-O

sledging down our street

skating

the neighbours shout – ‘clear off!’

take it to the blacksmith

irons for the sledge

knock it and screw it and bend the conduit

O Lees Brook

put wooden boats at top

run all the way, following them down

made me own submarine

with a bit of lead and wood

twist, pontoon,

truth, dare, force

O snakes and ladders

a doll’s house with furniture

Saturday afternoon to Newhey,

catch the bus from Spotland Lane

a drink of Oxo and play

whist or cards with granddad

cribbage, draughts

jumping over

you huff em

huffing, crowning

either way

a few years ago

when I was a young boy

Saturday afternoon, Oxo.

Group Poem
Springboard Group, Oldham

For more information about the Making Memories Project please visit arthur-and-martha.blogspot