Grandma Margaret Alice

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Mother says Grandma Alice was bad, I asked
why – ‘She pushed me out’ mother said ‘She
took over my home, prepared meals, did
domestic chores

‘Made your clothes, earned money driving kids,
sold school-wear, used her pension to buy food,
ironed everything, changed sheets
every week

‘Complained when you kids were bad, never
hit you herself; planted flowers, people stopped
to admire the sight, baked bread and cake and
made jam

Drove a truck on your uncle’s farm’ - Yes, I can
see, Grandma Alice was very bad to work so
hard, and I asked ‘Where were you, mother,
while all this was going on?

‘Oh, I was ill, disillusioned, fatigued, played piano,
organist in church, working in an office” - I nodded,
yes, grandma Alice was very bad to take care of
mother’s kids

I remember when we moved away with grandma, we
returned to find mother’s house in disarray, piano
packed away, grandma marshalled us to clean
the floors, dust, arrange the house

We stayed on when grandma left, mother did not
take charge, grandma returned, I can see that
was bad - I remember mother’s flat,
grandma came

Once a week to clean, wash and iron, grandma was
bad indeed, I remember grandma died, an act of
treason, mother sold dad’s house, spent the
money travelling

Dad bankrupt, she sold his furniture, dad worked on
a farm to earn his keep, got sacked, a homeless man,
all grandma’s fault, of course, today my sister
takes care of mom and dad

Yes, grandma’s fault, she spoiled mother, a servant
does the housework just as grandma used to, mother
still complains ‘If I had not been pushed away, I
would have raised my own kids’

‘Been a domestic, if only grandma had not been’
when grandma died, mother never filled her
place, that is grandma Alice’s biggest fault,
I suppose, leaving a space too big...
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