I would love to have a photo to accompany this week's poem. I'm not sure where this one came from - some deep recess of my subconscious.
West Auckland Childhood
On Thursdays Dad got paid,
and he would drive with us
up the hill to the fish and chip shop.
Every week we would order the
same scoop of chips, fish for
Mum and Dad, hotdogs for us kids.
While we waited we would perch
on the window ledge by the
side of the counter and if
it were cold the window would
be all steamed over.
Once the owner took us out
the back to see the fish all lying
dead and still in their crates.
I don’t know what I was expecting,
big aquariums and snapper
swimming around in circles?
Our house is gone now but
that chip shop is still there,
the same faded and oily
trawler company posters still
cellotaped to the walls.
The window ledge seems lower,
the magazines more dog-eared.
The wood paneling is still ugly.
It seems a miracle that
there exist these spaces still
where we can return to
fragments of our youth and
glance around in wonder.
More Thursday Poets here.
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16 comments:
What a great memory, and wonderful post!
This was a fantastic look back at those things from our childhood that stay with us forever. I like the way the counter seemed lower - things change but they stay the same.
It's amazing how fish and chip shops are still the same as they always were, despite competition from MacDonalds, Pizza Hut, and all the rest.
Through the eyes of a child the world is so large. When we return to those memories, the world shrinks to a small space. Lovely poem, thanks for sharing.
Rose
xo
Oh, absolutely wonderful! I love to rediscover those stories and memories of childhood. Thank you!
Hugs,
Hedwyg
i love looking back at some things and then revisiting. i still recall some things so vividly.
nice piece and i like how it leads the reader to reminisce themselves.
i too, like how you wrote about how the window ledge seems lower, that's such a vivid image. and isn't it amazing the memory of sharing food can bring back so many other memories? i love how you included so many little details.
thank you for this.
I enjoyed this post. It's great to find places that stay close to memory.
It is amazing how small things are when we go back to them... a wonderful poem of childhood memories... gotta love those fish and chip shops...
Nice poem!
"I don’t know what I was expecting,
big aquariums and snapper
swimming around in circles?"
I can identify with this line, I always had different expectations as a child. Happy ones. :)
Beautiful reminiscence and precious memories.
I traveled over from Poetry Thursday - what a lovely poem! Thank you so much for sharing it with us. It just perfectly captures the way we look back at the places and events of our childhood. (And makes me want some fish & chips!) :)
that was lovely... such an intimate glimpse.. i loved it....
What a lovely memory, still crisp and warm like your beloved fish and chips.
You could have been describing our local chippy in that. Very evocative!
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