Wednesday 15 March 2017

1930 TB

The Old Kitchen Gardens, detail of the quilt 'A Bombers Moon' 

1930

TB

Me mother's were all Darley Dale people
"None make pudding like mum!"
Lived on a farm, a copper for the water
Family of four, photos in me head.
Gosh yes, two sisters and me twin and
Father kept cows, TB in the milk, they said.
But I do like a sunset spire
I do love to hear church bells.

"Keep warm," she told us. Always warm clothes
We did, we did. Stay warm
With a few aunties and uncles
A lovely surround, over the Xmas, joining us
All born at Darley Dale. Memories
Are how you make yourself
Memories we do like to see and
I love to hear church bells.

My brother's TB all the worry
Nothing worse than a child ill
Got to pay the doctor, there's the rub
And the train is at Monsal Head loading cold 
Milk churns for Manchester.
Orange sky spreads, oh look at
The spire! The spire!
And it all belongs to the Duke: the lovely fireplace
The farm, the Autumn sunset and

The church bells.


Anne Purseglove
Bakewell



From the arthur+martha project Stitching the Wars. A Two year collaboration with older people in Derbyshire, producing two embroidered quilts, a book, interviews and a series of poems. 
More poems found here. A short documentary film about the project found here.

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