we had
a shilling for our meter,
coal for our fire and paraffin for our lamps
we had
wellies for our toes,
gloves for our fingers and hats for our ears
we had
porridge for breakfast,
broth for dinner and mince and tatties for tea
we had
a chain for our toilet,
tin for our bath and a geyser for our water
we had
a Butler sink for our dishes,
a boiler for our sheets and a mangle to finish
we had
a baker for our bread,
a grocer for our greens and a dairy for our milk
we had
a sweeper for our carpets,
vinegar for our windows and a brush for our stairs
we had
a street to play in,
a hill for climbing and cardboard to slide down again
we had
stories to tell,
songs to sing and jokes to make us laugh
we had
no means to thrive,
but learned to survive and somehow stay alive
Fraser
March 2023