The 70’s
by Pete Marshall
Darkened rooms and parlour games
& lights were out before we slept
the TV still as silence framed
and trips on stairs where terror crept.
The shadows loomed outside the door
upon a saucer burning bright
in flickered light upon the floor
we journeyed forth into the night.
The mornings came to see your breath
that floats across a nylon sheet
the ice would sit on window ledge
inside the room where children sleep.
You’d walk alone to school that day
as wind would whip around your legs
in tank-tops wove by Auntie Mae
upon the streets where life was led.
Heat would burn upon your back
midst children’s screams & drive by cars
as waters rushed the children clapped
with saucepans filled and skin picked scars.
The pistols shot at neighbours kids
that stung the eye with bubble soaks
whilst mum would spend a paper quid
to buy us drinks of bottled coke.
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The poem I have written today is a reflection of my childhood growing up the the 1970's. History will tell you a story, one of power cuts, the three day week, water shortages, heat waves and so forth, but it never captures the excitement of children running around a water stand pipe, collecting water for their parents to boil, whilst having an amazing water fight!
And then there was the power cuts, no TV and candle light throughout the house. With only one toilet I will never forget how lonely and brave I felt as I wandered upstairs alone!
This was also life before double glazing & central heating when you would wake to see ice inside your windows.
This Poem is also shared for One Shot Wednesday, part of One Stop Poetry, a great platform for sharing your work and meeting other poets. It opens tonight at 10pm UK time. 5pm EST
