Roy Woodard
Advice from a Mother
1) ‘Don’t tell me’
“Dreams – I’ll tell you about dreams –
you just hold out your hands,
just hold them out,
as far as you can,
really stretch,
that’s right
darling
reach out,
just like that,
you’re doing well, good girl, I’m so proud of you,,,
and your fingers,
stretch them wide too,
yes, spread them out, you’ve got it,
as wide as you can,
reach for the stars….”
She remembers; at seven maybe eight or nine years old ,
no more than that,
standing in the scullery next to the copper, the steam and
the smell of Ajax;
even now, her standing there with a yellow bow in her
ginger hair.
“and you take your dreams,
cherish them,
hold them tightly in one hand, –
never let them go,
they are yours, –
and,–
and the other hand,,, that’s right,,, hold that out too,,,
that’s right honey bunch,,, you’ve got it,,, there you go,,,
well I’ll shit in that–
and –
you tell me:-
which fills first?”
2) “Stupid” –
you think I’m stupid –
try putting your fingers in my mouth,
and see how stupid I am”.
“Dreams – I’ll tell you about dreams –
you just hold out your hands,
just hold them out,
as far as you can,
really stretch,
that’s right
darling
reach out,
just like that,
you’re doing well, good girl, I’m so proud of you,,,
and your fingers,
stretch them wide too,
yes, spread them out, you’ve got it,
as wide as you can,
reach for the stars….”
She remembers; at seven maybe eight or nine years old ,
no more than that,
standing in the scullery next to the copper, the steam and
the smell of Ajax;
even now, her standing there with a yellow bow in her
ginger hair.
“and you take your dreams,
cherish them,
hold them tightly in one hand, –
never let them go,
they are yours, –
and,–
and the other hand,,, that’s right,,, hold that out too,,,
that’s right honey bunch,,, you’ve got it,,, there you go,,,
well I’ll shit in that–
and –
you tell me:-
which fills first?”
2) “Stupid” –
you think I’m stupid –
try putting your fingers in my mouth,
and see how stupid I am”.
Roy Woodard is a professional artist. Roy Woodard is a professional artist. This is his first published poem.
Page(s) 18
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