I've never lived alone, not really

I've never lived alone, not really


I've never lived alone, not really,

I moved out of home at 19 years,

But not on my own,

With a man's not alone,

No, I've never lived alone, not really.


I've never lived alone, not really,

I moved house four times in my twenties,

But not on my own,

With a man's not alone,

No, I've never lived alone, not really.


I've never lived alone, not really,

I had 2 kids in my own house in my thirties,

But not on my own,

With a family's not alone,

No, I've never lived alone, not really.


I've never lived alone, not really,

I was left in my house at 37 years,

But not on my own,

With two girls is not alone,

No, I've never lived alone, not really.


I've never lived alone, not really,

I moved out to a new life in my forties,

But not on my own,

With a man's not alone,

No, I've never lived alone, not really.


I've never lived alone, not really,

I was left in my house at 47 years,

But not on my own, 

With two teens is not alone,

No, I've never lived alone, not really.


I've never lived alone, not really,

A few years and I'll be into my fifties,

I won't be on my own,

Yes, I'll make this house my own

But no, I'll never live alone, not really.


A Wensley

29.10.2024

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

'Me' (or 'Poetry from a prompt-sheet', Jawbone 'Write to Speak' Workshop 22/06/25)

Image
This poem was created during a Jawbone 'Write to speak' workshop in Bridport on the 22nd June 2025. It came about when we were asked to complete a prompt sheet 'Being honest with you' - filling in all our honest thoughts against the prompt words listed, as per the list below. Rather than one word answers to each or whole sentences independent of each other, mine naturally flowed as a piece of poetry in its own right - I read it out with emotion, volume in the parts which resonated with the spirit of the piece and clearly in the way I'd punctuated it for dramatic effect. It goes like this: I AM...                  Me . I AM NOT ...            You . I CAN...                  speak but I CANNOT...            always be heard. I WILL...                frustrate you but I WON'T .....
Read more

At home in public houses

Poem 2 from my 'Home Soil' workshop with poet Olivia Douglass last week, was produced in response to an exercise which asked us to recall 3 phrases that reminded us of where we come from, and use them as the starting point for each stanza.  My mind took me to a dark place, but I went with it and read this to the group, feeling brave. So, as I share it with you now please note it comes with a trigger warning - alcohol/abuse. Please scroll on if you are affected by these issues. ------------------------------ At home in public houses "Let's pop in 'ere for one" Dad says, familiarly, To the car-load, our family, behind him. I watch the pub sign swaying to and fro Like something from a Western, or a drunk, Ominously threatening my sanity, A repetition of too many weekends out on Exmoor Gone before. "Where be to?" Dad gestures to go inside, So-called 'Adults', parents and grandparents,  'guardians' leading the way - To bar-stools and bar s...
Read more

Summits

 Summits I was always described as a shy child at school, Never look you in the eye  Cry at the mere hint of conflict, Or praise. I grew up 'deficient'; misinterpreted, wronged. I felt a fire in me, Gathering fuel from the incidents That shaped me, Lighting a beacon for my self-esteem To warm my walked-over feet on dark nights. So, I set myself a goal To be able to talk,  Particularly in difficult situations;  To be heard  Without breaking down. I climbed that mountain, Up the path called assertiveness, Around the summit of self-expectation And do you know what I found? There's an echo. Because in finding my voice I cupped my hands and shouted to the world "This is me now!" But all that came back to me from others Was the echo of my former self. So I tried again To make my Self heard, Directing rather than shouting my voice  Down the valley of self confidence. And now I grow in the forest of self-reassurance. Oxygen-clear in tone, Whole-hearted in approach;...
Read more