Once upon a March day

 

Once upon a March day 

You split the wood, the outsized logs 

not as I remember mum- kindling it must have been 

for our coal fire 

classic 50s scene, small back and white set in the corner , flickering 

( curtains drawn against the sun) 

So mum with an axe chopping, her arms strong 

from housework exercise, laundry/ wringer 

no need nor time nor possibility of gym

yet to be invented, like the Dyson 

but then meant navy knickers 

and dragon teacher by a high horse, insurmountable 

and ditto ropes 

my weekly dreaded hour. 

So now you split and trim the logs, effortless, 

by machine 

and together we reduce the unruly pile 

and stack it neatly, as in a story book 

Once upon a March day, still lion not yet lamb

though blossom’s out, white pear and bumble bee mimosa 

We fill long hours splitting and stacking 

and spite of age and aching limbs 

we interweave a kinder exercise with dreams of long ago. 

Hounoux 10th March 2025