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| by Electra |
1. I am from radio broadcasts, from Singer sewing machines with a treadle and books in every room. I am from the Goons, and Rogers and Hammerstein musicals, from rolling back the carpet and learning to dance a foxtrot. I am from photogaphy and water-colour, oils and pastels.
2. I am from the flat at the top of the stairs where the walls are painted grey and my cot is beside the window but its too high for me to see out. I am from a room where the curtains are white linen with bamboo drawn on them and one wall in the bedroom is painted dark red and the dressing table has a cane covered door.
3. I am from the dahlias in my grandfather's garden and the nasturtiums beside the laundry door, the garden bed that was my own and ringed with tiny stones so that ants had to walk around instead of over.......but they never did.
4. I am from people who read themselves to sleep and people who needed to know the answers, from women who sewed whatever was needed and men who went to sea and relatives who married better.
5. I am from the gardeners and the vegetable growers and the artists and the long-haired women who always found time. I am from the jam makers and the picture-takers.
6. And as for the weekend, tonight I was looking forward to reading a book, tomorrow my plans include coffee with my parents and Sunday, I want to fix the back gate!
