This is a poem about my mum It starts in 1941 When to (find a safer haven) She went to Bradderford-on-Avon. And no form as ever had the space For me to fill in my birth place. There are things I remember as time has gone by I remember them clearly though I don’t recall why Its not all of the truth all of the time I’ve bent things a bit to make the thing rhyme And to make sure my sisters don’t get the ike I promise that I will not mention the bike There are things I remember...... Like an airrade shelter during the war With Meg locked safely away in a drawer And me and Mum and Bren in plaits Spending the night just watching rats There are things I remember..... Like standing in a kitchen bowl Mum scrubbing my knees with Oxydol “Mum I don’t know what to say” “Tell me what to write today” There are things I remember.... Like teasing my sister, I’m only a boy And getting hit on the head with my dinky toy It was I remember a motorbike and sidecar It didn’t bleed much but I’ve still got the scar There are things I remember..... Like wearing short trousers to go out to play And having scabby knees would be the order of the day And bumping your head & making it swell And my Mum at home to make it all well There are things I remember ....... Like mum being left to handle the home While Reg was away selling brushes and combs She could wallpaper a room in a couple of hours And that included stencilling flowers There are things I remember ..... Like coming to school to watch my school play Mum had rehearsed me in words I should say. And lost in the fog, and Mum all alone In front of the car, leading us home There are things I remember ...... Like, the time when I took a Ladies Night scene To show to the ladies who worked in the canteen I showed them the picture and the woman on puds said “My goodness , your mum she’s a smart bit of goods” There are things I remember ..... Like , My Mums a marvel at buttons and bows For as long as I remember she’s been making clothes It seemed that my mum whenever she tried Made 10 wedding dresses and then made the brides. There are things I remember ..... Like as far as I know my Mums always been slimming And the favourite method wasn’t running or swimming And what came in real handy and gave me a buzz Was a couple of pills she kept in a tub My Mum has passed to me her excellent taste Like lobster and Brussels not the veg but the place And motzas and begles and rollmops are sweet We may not like them but we like what they eat My mums a super shopper, at shopping she’s the boss She’s got a season ticket at a place they call Brent Cross She goes there Wednesday mornings and spends a small fortune And goes back there to change things on Friday afternoon I’m sure that if I tell you, to you it wont be news that my mum has probably got a 100 pairs of shoes A wardrobe packed with clothes but then my mum would always swear (Cause above all she’s a woman) she’s got nothing to wear Maybe things that I’ve remembered are not the slushy kind. But if I didn’t love her, Would I have spent the time? And so will you fill your glasses and join me in a toast Here’s to my Mum, God bless her I think she is the most.