MEMORY BOX

IT STANDS ON MY RICKETY WINDOWSILL, TATTY AND WORN
ITS ORIGINAL COLOUR LOOKS FORLORN
IN MY BOX MY LIFE UNFOLDS
SILLY STORIES THAT I HAVE TOLD
PINK WRIST BAND FROM MY BIRTH
THESE DAYS IT HAS NO WORTH
PHOTOGRAPHS OF FAMILY LONG GONE BY
I SOMETIMES REFLECT AND SIMPLY ASK; WHY?
A RUSTY OLD NAIL FROM WHEN THE BOMBS RAINED DOWN
NASTY AND SHOCKING WHEN THEY HIT OUR TOWN
POST WAR BRITAIN I WAS BORN
I THANK MY DEAR MOTHER FOR WAITING UNTIL AFTER D-DAY
MY STREET WAS QUIET AND CHILDREN COULD PLAY
A STONE FROM THE PAST I KEEP IN A SILK PURSE
I RUB IT AND WISH I COULD GET RID OF THIS CURSE
THE CURSE IS NOT SO BAD YOU SEE
JUST OCCASIONALLY IT DOES BOTHER ME
TEENAGE YEARS WERE FULL OF MADNESS
SOMETIMES, NOT ALWAYS, A TOUCH OF SADNESS
MARRIAGE AND CHILDREN, I WAS BLESSED
THEY’VE LONG GONE NOW AND FLED THE NEST
GRANDCHILDREN ARRIVED AT A PERFECT TIME
JOY AND LOVE ABOUNDS EVERY TIME
TIME STANDS STILL FOR NO MAN THEY SAY
IT’S TRUE – LIFE RUNS PAST YOU EVERY DAY
MY MEMORY BOX ISN’T QUITE FULL YET
I’LL BE PATIENT AND SEE WHAT HAPPENS NEXT…