WASHING TIME

[william williams]

WASHING TIME

Mother! called the daughter from out the kitchen door
To the woman that was wet, from washing that she bore.
The cloths line it was calling her, to hang those things upon
Was Monday morning, and the washing day had begun.

White collard shirt and nappies, white jocks and nickers
Sheets and pillowcases, and towels were done much quicker.
The old copper’s now filled, with coloureds by the score
And the waters rather soapy, discoloured from the lot before.

The old woodpiles getting lower than it ever was before
Cause washing in the outback’s, a Monday morning chore.
Two wires are the cloths line that spread across the yard
Two poles with swingle trees and clothes props strong and hard.

Mother! She called again, in an anxious sounding tone
The little one has dirtied nappy, and you’re wanted on the phone.
A farmer’s wife she’s busy, she has no time to roam
She’s a busy little house wife but she keeps a happy home.

No washing machine or cloths dryer, these are things that she has not
A slow combustion stove with hot water, that’s all the woman’s got.
Electricity so many miles away, a generator for the light and fridge
That’s all that’s there I’m telling you, that’s honest, ridgi didge.

There are kero lamps for a back up, or old wax candles in your plight
Her daughters learning lessons, that’s taught both morning noon, and night.
Vegies to peel to make a meal, she does them in her stride
She sits there at the table, gazing through the doorway to outside.

Her child perched there on her lap, her daughter by her side
His has a dirty dusty face, from ploughing, far and wide.
He smiles to his family in pure joy he cannot hide
That families now together, as they welcome him inside.


Written by Bill Williams ©

[Maureen K Clifford]

John to the rescue - Good on you Peely

[Peely]

Only a matter of getting a moderator to move a topic, no need to repost.

[william williams]

thank JOHN looks like I pushed the wrong button

bill williams

[alongtimegone]

Takes me back a bit Bill. My mum had a copper boiler gas heated that she did the sheets and towels etc in and she moved them around and took them out of the boiler with a wooden stick she called a prop stick.
The boiler was also good for cooking mud crabs which we used to catch in big numbers ... yum! Thanks for the poem.
Cheers ... Wazza

[Glenny Palmer]

What lovely nostalgia Bill. Good one.

Wazza....you seem to have a very long history with mud crabs?? (you lucky blighter)