Within Four Walls

in a week from now

after a day of hard graft

all evidence of an elderly 

woman's frugal living

within her tidy time warp

apartment will be consigned

to two luton lorry loads

and history

clearance of all she owns

taken away for disposal

in a sustained way

leaving her home empty

of possessions

though not of ghosts

ghosts who regularly converse

with me

her mother and father

my beloved grandparents

who love her dearly

talk in hushed tones

unable to reason why

she banked all her money

without spending on simple

day to day luxuries

while her brother

my sadly missed father

says she is plain antisocial

and blames it on early

years of wartime 

evacuation to the country

to live with strangers

who influenced her eccentric

behaviour

then i reflect on other losses

two husbands dead

who were nursed through

lengthy illness and her life

without the gift of children

lead me to admire that

sense of resilient duty

for those she cared about

most

she never warmed to thoughts

of entertaining or taking up

invitations from neighbours

preferring instead to retreat

behind a closed dark door 

chained and bolted in a world

of her own making

Reviews

[Soren]

In this life we have the choice to share not only with others but ourselves. Some are so traumatized that they must keep everything for a rainy day that sometimes never comes. The metaphor of keeping things and making do applies to the sharing of ourselves with others and how if we do not we end up isolated and alone. When we go such people are easily forgotten. It is sad to me but maybe not to the person that chooses to be so. Nourishment comes from sharing with self and others. A beautiful story of sadness.

[Chris Shaw]

Thank you for sharing your interesting thoughts Soren. Pleased you stopped by.

Chris

[W. Barrett Munn]

This is quite the haunting itself, a luxurious ride through time in a carriage of memories and regrets.
Nicely written, Chris.

Winston

[Chris Shaw]

Thank you Winston. Quite a trip this experience was. Brought out many of the family ghosts. Was quite unsettling. Empty apartment now, ready for sale.

Chris

[Gee]

Mum would never buy anything on tick saying if you cannot afford it you cannot have it, hence we were brought up with nowt but the essentials, but plenty of loving.
Enjoyed the Sunday read Christine.
Hope all is well in Berks

[Chris Shaw]

Thanks Gee. My aunt had the money, she just never spent it. Her frugality came from the war years I am sure. Thanks for sharing a little of your mum with me. Happy Wednesday.

Chris

[Ayvid N]

Reminds me of the eccentricities of some of my own relatives. All precious, all gone. You sketched such a beautiful portrait. She takes form with your words and takes us to an era long past. With time, all of a person is erased, save some of the impressions we leave on others. This was so interesting to read and touching too.

[Chris Shaw]

Thank you dear DIVYA, she is a one off, for sure and so unlike the others if her generation on my family. Thank you so much for your review. Have a good Sunday.

Chris

[Ayvid N]

You too, enjoy your Sunday, dear Chris. ❤

[KeeD]

I felt her life story flash before my thoughts. Living life within her own castle, so simple yet so elevated in her convictions, admirable lady indeed. Sometimes it’s the quiet ones with the best stories. Great write!

[Chris Shaw]

I appreciate your thoughts here KeeD. Many thanks for stopping by to review. All good wishes.

Chris

[Red Brick Keshner]

Reminds me of my grandparents who had to make do and improvise with a lot of daily things as they barely scraped past the post war challenges. The next generation though touched by secondary ptsd has fought hard to live a life opposite this and create a brand new existence. Having grown up with both sets of grandparents learned quickly of simplicity of manner and frugality of living and am able to shift from that to the more outward living of my aunts and uncles' generation.

[Chris Shaw]

Thanks Freds for your visit and thoughts. I think those who experienced the frugality of life in WW2 have a completely different perspective on living.

Chris

[Red Brick Keshner]

So true Chris. Even with more ease financially, after the war, the frugality and thrift never left the core value and practise which in turn made us mindful of such things.

[Mauricio Montoya]

This write brought back memories my grandmother lived in a big house and raised us but as she got older we move her to a smaller dewling when it came time to move she had all these boxes filled with our childhood memories and even some as we grew up in her four walls.
Thank you for sharing.

[Chris Shaw]

Thank you Mauricio for your visit and your thoughts. I appreciate you stopping by. All the best.
read moreThank you Mauricio for your visit and your thoughts. I appreciate you stopping by. All the best.

Chris

[Nima.Hope]

I became very emotional, thinking of the WW2 and the sadness of losing one's house and everything. The same almost happened to my Uncle Moses, he lost everything he had and the depression finally killed him.
Nice peace dear Chris. Salute to you

[Chris Shaw]

Thank you dear Nima. Pleased you stopped by and for you sharing your thoughts. All the best.

Chris

[Nima.Hope]

My pleasure. Wish you the best my friend.

[Brianna Brie]

Sometimes when traveling, I peer into people windows, and wonder about the people that live inside that home. This poem attempts to sum up the life of a woman, but even more importantly now immortalizes her life within the written word. There is a lot to ponder here. The fact that we are a sum of our belongings and yet not. The way that we choose to live our lives and why is note worthy. What is not apparent aside from your comments is that at the end of her life she understood how precious and desired a simple visit with family could be. She lived her life chained and bolted, but died with a desire for connection with people. We are forever learning even in death. Thank you for sharing your personal thoughts for we learn from one another.

[Chris Shaw]

Dear Brianna, thank you for sharing your thoughts. It was hard to see all my aunt's stuff gone in four hours after living in that apartment for 40 years. She hasn't died, but with her advanced dementia is now in redudential care. The sale of her property will find her care. She is safe and adjusting to a new type of living. Even enjoying the company of other residents a little :) Pleased you stopped by.

Chris

[Brianna Brie]

Forty years is a long time in one residence. I am approaching thirty years myself. Glad to hear that your Aunt is well and adjusting to her new home.

[Patricia Wedel]

Dear Chris… the Drama of Life is difficult to put into words. It amazes me how millions of experiences pass into oblivion when people pass to the other side; and yet while we are living… we carry it in our Mind until our last breath. The Spirit World is still a Mystery for the most part. Deeply, Pat

[Chris Shaw]

Thank you Pat. Yes the spirit world is a mystery but I find it frequently touches our own. Your thoughts are greatly appreciated and make you think.

Chris