Eva's W6 Kitchen

(snapshot 1962)

A tilted mirror complete with crack

positioned in a corner

above an old butler sink

shows my freckles at their best (Yuck)

Unless steam clouds

erupt from a boiling kettle

on stove's back burner

to obliterate my face (Yeah)

So much to see in

Eva's pigeon hole kitchen

carrot top favourites

float on patterned saucers

Her brass scales

ready and weighting

ginger beer in a bucket

seeks attention

But it is always that cat

fat and well fed

the neighbourhood's dread

sat by the back door

Eyes cruel and yellow

not a cuddly fellow

a mean machine

he fascinates me more

Stalks his prey

nothing gets away

and Eva adores him, almost as much

as she adores me

Reviews

[Dave Brown]

Hadn't read this previously,
Typically nicely done
R little white dog has a friendly black cat up the road that patrols our night garden and I doubt very much gets away, but so far neither the cat nor owl (nor dog) have affected the squirrel that steals the seeds

[Chris Shaw]

Thank you Dave and for your little story about the animals. Squirrels are very fast.

Chris

[Neville]

Ha, you can beat an egg etc etc but you just can't beat a trip down memory lane can youe eh' .. thanks for taking me back there Chris ..
p.s. I wonder where those freckles went :)

[Jimmy Yetts]

A unique and deeply perceptive "snapshot."
Such charm!

[Chris Shaw]

Thank you so much Jimmy. That was where I lived until I was nearly 8, and where I would visit during school holidays thereafter.

Chris

[Coyote Poetry]

A wonderful story shared. Your powerful description made me see the house and the cat. I liked the memory shared dear Chris. Thank you for sharing the amazing poetry.
Coyote

[Chris Shaw]

Thank you so much for reading Coyote. Always good to see you here.

Chris

[Coyote Poetry]

I love your work and you are welcome.

[Wild Rose]

Reads lie Aunts Farmhouse kitchen = full of tempting smells ? fragrances apples and cheese; fresh tomatoes: bunches of mint hung to dry

[Chris Shaw]

Thank you Wild Rose. You have just reminded me of mint. Grown in the backyard and always had fresh mint sauce with a lamb roast. I used to chop the mint up. Thank you for bringing that back to me.

[Wild Rose]

Ha Ha > I have some pics to download - then post of mint hung in the garden shed to dry
We have a small are just outside the back door

[Chris Shaw]

I've got a bit of a herb garden, mint, rosemary, lemonbalm, lavender, marjoram myself. A bit overgrown at the moment.

[Wild Rose]

They soon get overgrown > Our mint bed wants quite a bit digging out now > just found a Bay Tree hidden amonst it

[jacob erin-cilberto]

you really give great description here...setting a scene and putting us there.

although i actually think freckles are quite sexy...not Yucky.

j.

[Chris Shaw]

Thank you Jacob, and for liking freckles as well :))

Chris

[Great Aunt Astri]

I can just see that cat there, with a mean look in it's eye! He is keeping watch over Eva, making sure only friends visit. I enjoyed this poem, especially the 'yuck' and 'yeah'. You painted a vivid picture with your words.

[Chris Shaw]

Thank you Astri. That cat was huge and quite menacing.

Chris

[Great Aunt Astri]

You are wlcome

[Onlyme]

I could really picture these images inside my minds eyes, Chris. Wonderful throwback in times gone bye.

[Chris Shaw]

Thank you Dee. I like capturing these images, so my grandchildren will be able to understand a bit about how life was for my generation, and in poetic form.

Chris

[Onlyme]

What a wonderful idea Chris.

[Chris Shaw]

Thought, I would write some poems and put some photographs in an album alongside. Sort of tells my story.

[Onlyme]

That sounds great.

[Crowley]

Great throwback. Picturing it in old Polaroid colors. And I say yay freckles!!! Loved this trip down memory lane!!!

[Chris Shaw]

Thanks Crowley and for liking freckles!!

Chris