Sunday 4 September 2016

butterfly trousers




 

 

Dear Reader,

a very warm welcome back to my blog.  I have missed writing it over these recent weeks and hope that you, likewise, have missed reading it.  I will try to write something interesting or amusing, or both, each week for you to enjoy, and hope that you will also read the poems and get pleasure from them.

I expect you have had a good and interesting summer, with lots of wonderful things to remember  when autumn and then winter really set in.  When the evenings are shorter, darker and colder,
we long for a fire to sit round, a drink in hand, and a quiet time to think perhaps about our holiday and possibly get out the photographs to remind us of those balmy days.

The pictures today are of those memorable characters from the "Wind in the Willows", that favourite book written by Kenneth Graham.  I was thinking about them yesterday.  What is strange about them, I thought, is that not one of them has any form of partner.  Now I think Mr Badger could do with a wife.  She should be responsible and reliable, and would organize his world well.  She could pick up his handkerchiefs and polish his spectacles. Then Ratty.  He would need a sporty bohemian type of female rat, a good companion on some of his adventures.  I know today that gender identity is an important issue, and don't want to make all the partners female; but I feel sure Mr Mole would want a modest and pretty lady mole who enjoyed a spot of cooking and dusting, and sang in a sweet voice to him after supper.  But Mr Toad ... that is more difficult.  I can't imagine anyone of any gender wanting to share their life with him.  And probably he is happy on his own.  If, of course,  these delightful animals did share their lives with someone, it would not be the magical story of "Wind in the Willows" that we know and love.  So I think I will put the idea of partners for them out of my mind and leave them there on the river bank, messing about in boats, their strong friendships enjoyed with each other.

                                                                          *

butterfly trousers

the photograph stands on the table
in a very special place
a little girl with boots on
a sweet smile on her face

she wears her favourite trousers
small butterflies in red
a squirrel brooch on her jersey
a peaked cap on her head

she fished in a pool for tadpoles
brought them proudly back in a jar
she patted the new born foals
skipped in the meadows but didn't go far

in the garden shed she raced her snails
their names were Trusty, Ben, and Sue
she jumped her pony over posts and rails
rode in the forest by the river Brue

At bedtime I read her a story
tucked her in tight
kissed her tenderly
turned out the light

BUT WHERE IS SHE NOW?

that little girl with boots and cap
butterfly trousers in red
time has taken her youthful years
but those memories live on in my head

                                                                                *

With very best wishes, Patricia








2 comments:

  1. Lovely! So glad you are back! xx

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  2. Oh this is fabulous! I love the idea of all their various partners, and I love the merry poem too. Like the above comment, I'm glad you're back too xx

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