On Sunday, Granny cooks crispy biscuits
She looks very pleased when I say, "I like it!"
I say, "You cook so many, but there's never enough!"
Granny's always laughing - 'though grandpa's sick and gruff
When you're very small, the world's big of course
A neighbour's small dog looks big as a horse
You run and climb and feel so strong
Your hands grow big and your feet grow long
The garden is full of big butterflies
"Where are they going?" You wonder why
They seem to land on the petals of flowers
With hardly a rest they fly for hours
Mondays one day of the working week
When Dad's far away, too busy to speak
All week long the world takes tests
But on Sunday Christians make the whole world rest
The Christians wear clean clothes and new caps
And the rushing people have time to chat
On Saturday the Jews march past in black top hats
And mummy puts bow ties on both tom cats
On weekends the church bells ring and ring
From the street see brides, hear choirboys sing
We walk to the swings in the grassy park
Until street go quiet after dark
At dawn you hear the birds and the trains
And the neighbour's car starts up again
Then the big red bus goes thundering past
Mummy's busy with breakfast and household task
I make meals which no-one sees,
Salad from red tomato peel and brown lettuce leaves
I travel with postage stamps and kiddie books
In hot air balloons which carry the cooks
I'm too busy reading to ever be sad
I'm too busy reading to ever be bad
I don't understand why some adults are stressed
My biggest stress is spilled milk on my dress
"Oh dear, Mummy, sorry, oh dear, oh gosh!"
But Mummy says, "It comes out in the wash ..."
Childhood goes fast, these things don't last
But now that I'm running out of years
I don't waste time on temporary tears
Each year one more dear friend has gone
Just sigh, say kind goodbye, quickly move on
With a grandchild see the sun and rain
And live life's wonders over again.
-ends-
Copyright Angela Lansbury. November 29th 2022.
