Friday, September 2, 2011

Walking Backwards

Looking Back art print by Andrew Francis
This looks like the Union Castle ship I sailed in!

A little house with blue paintwork on a friendly Australian street.......
I'll take step one into the city, Newcastle, hard to beat.
I'll retrace my steps to the immigrant ship which, long ago, brought me here;
It will take me back to South Africa, a country I hold dear.
A further step takes me to the ship I worked on, with fun on every hand
And back to the years in Rhodesia, then a green and pleasant land.
Now back to the bustle of London, where I first spread my wings,
Then  to my college in Brighton, and 'firsts' for so many things.
From thence to a beautiful village, full of historic charms
Then a further step into Wartime, with all its many alarms.
I'm very nearly home now, I'm at school, by the sea;
Back to the much-loved cousins and the joys of  family.
Then back, back, back to the cradle, with a sister, now long gone,
Yes, I'm back in Margate. What a lot to look back upon!
*
Walking backwards is pleasant; taking stock of each used-up year.
But I know where I'm happiest.....
It's here,
Right here.
*
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                                Gerald Gee



FOLLOWERS

This word has changed its meaning with the passing of the years.
Cast your mind back to the gentler days of yore,
When the mistress would chastise her maids and, no doubt, cut their pay
If amorous suitors hammered at the door.
'No Followers allowed!' she'd say when they were interviewed;
'No men-friends lurking by the garden gate.
If I should chance to see you with young Fred the butcher-boy
Instant dismissal! That will be your fate!'
*
The descendents of those servants lead very different lives.
Their love-lives are unfettered and quite free.
And then, of course, there's blogging, with a language of its own;
Words used by us, the Blog community.
One Follower is not enough! We yearn for eight or ten!
We tot them up and weep for those we lose!
And we Follow other people (in Cyberspace, of course)
And we're choosy about who we're going to choose!
*

5 comments:

Kay L. Davies said...

I enjoyed the walk back through your life, Brenda. Very exciting and international.
— K

Kay, Alberta, Canada
An Unfittie's Guide to Adventurous Travel

irene said...

I enjoyed your walk through places in your history.

gautami tripathy said...

That was a beautiful walk!


hitching a ride in rusted trails

neil reid said...

Almost hard to say which end of the thread here is the more broad. I like how this poem makes this path both so compact yet also far-sighted and in fairly few words as well. Very nice. Thanks.

neil

Mr. Walker said...

A lovely walk that reminds us how we live life forwards, but understand - and appreciate it - backwards.

Richard