Simple Life

~

as a child, I would often hear my mother say,

if life’s matters became addled,

‘there’s nowt so queer as folk’

or if feeling charitable

‘it takes all sorts to make this world turn’, 

otherwise she mostly saw things

black and white,

my father kept tighter counsel

an expressive facial repertoire 

replacing unnecessary words

leaving none unsure of his

true sentiments

rarely losing his temper over

events outside of his domain

to him a lass was a woman

a chap was a man, a child a child

he saw no other categories,

sometimes I’m glad he’s

no longer alive in my world

*

© Graham R Sherwood 01/23