|
HOPE ALLS WELL
MESSAGE FOR PINKY WITH THE PERKY FINGER
AWAY A FEW DAYS
GOING TO SEE FRIENDS
&
RIDE A CHUFF CHUFF TRAIN
X
|
|
Just for you Dizzi................
Hop Picking
by Evelyn (Marsh) Gilbert
Years ago it was,
With our Dad alive and kicking,
Win and I, Fed up with things
Thought we'd go hop picking!
Arrangements were made we'd go to Bridge
Hop Fields, we knew no other.
Still for our needs it was OK,
It saved us going further.
Off we went on appointed day
With chairs and pots and bedding
A stock of food, and little kids,
Our Household chores forgetting.
I forget which day we actually went-
I think it was a Saturday,
Dad said "You won't last a week -
I'll come and fetch you Wednesday!"
Our tin hut, no home from home,
But just a weather shelter,
In which when cold you'd freeze to death
Or, in heat just swelter!
But never mind! we grit our teeth
And vowed to stick it out,
Up at Dawn and late to bed -
No time to get a stout.
With hops to pick and grub to cook,
The pots and kids to clean,
We had our work cut out for sure,
No holiday makers dream!
True to his word, old Dad came up
In his best 'Bib and Tucker,'
Sat right down and helped us fill
Our baskets made of wicker.
The weather happened to be good,
The old man, he was happy,
Said he would like it fine if he
Could stay - the game old chappy.
Off I went to find the Boss
To see if he was willing,
"All right by me," he kindly said,
"As long as BINS you're filling!"
The problem was, where would Dad sleep?
There were no empty huts,
"Well can't I sleep with you" he said,
No time for 'ifs' or 'buts.'
By this time it was getting late,
We knew we'd have to hurry,
Water to fetch and fire to light,
Before to bed we'd scurry.
So there we were, kids, Win and I,
Straw and bedding sharing,
Till to Folkestone we could go,
Dad's working gear collecting.
Dad had a nasty turn or two.
Which scared us quite a bt.
He wouldn't hear of going home -
Said he was enjoying it!
Well, I suppose he must have done,
We hadn't long lost Mum'
It gave him something new to do,
When all is said and done.
He joined in all the choruses
When we all began to sing,
And he did enjoy his food -
Especially Beef Pudding.
Now the tin hut I have mentioned,
Was only one of many.
More like cubicles they were -
And Privacy? hardly any!!!
The murmerings and 'noises off'
Questionable Entertainment!
From 'CHAMBER MUSIC' in the night
To amorous endearment!
One night a little boy next door
Mislaid his rubber dummy,
Pandemonium reigned until
He piped "I DOT IT MUMMY"
This tickled Dad a lot I know,
He often spoke about it.
In later years, in fact he said
The whole thing - he'd repeat it.
We never went again of course,
Found other things to do.
But we ARE glad we went THAT time,
And stayed to see it through!
Have fun! Susan
|
|
I just read that poem through again, and i have to say, it bought a tear to the eye!
|
