My Childhood Home

Childhood home

The happy home of my childhood
We must soon sell and let it go
A house full of comforting memories
So I sit on the stairs and let them flow

I remember picking raspberries
Every single summer with Mum
Then an afternoon of jam-making
A heavenly sweet smell of home

When Dad had a home-brew session
That heady, sharp smell of hops
Would spread through the house
A delicious bouquet from bottom to top

And Dad’s wine – Wow! Was amazing
A taste explosion, difficult to match
A totally unique blend of flavours
Unknown recipes made from scratch

Wine stored in understairs cupboard
Or left years to mature in the loft
Often our peace was interrupted
As an explosion of bottle tops popped

It was an idyllic era of childhood
When we were free to roam
An old cherry orchard was our playground
With friends or safe to wander alone

The orchard at the end of our garden
We’d just need to jump over the gate
All day to climb trees and make dens
Play hide and seek ’til it was late

Evenings spent sewing, reading, chatting
My sister, my Mum and me
My brother and Dad took things apart
To see how they worked, naturally

Dad would make us play things
He made them with such care
Wooden stilts, a fantastic sledge
For downhill as fast as we dare

These golden moments swirl around
As I sit upon these old stairs
This house will be another family’s home
I hope such happiness will be theirs