Tuesday 14 October 2014

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
31st July 2009

elephant for memory

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





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





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



Thursday 2 October 2014

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