Poetry Pleases: Robert's Train
Joyce Worsfold, a retired teacher, reminds us that on this special day not every child is as happy as we would wish.
Bare floors has Robert’s house
And you wouldn’t sit on the chairs
The whole place smells of urine
There are jagged holes in the stairs.
‘Santa’s gonna bring me a train, Miss
electric with loads of rails
and engines that pull all the carriages
It’ll be bigger and better than Dale's.’
Dale says ‘I’ve got loads of engines
and trucks that carry real coal
But Wayne’s got bridges and tunnels
You can watch them come out of the hole.’
Robert’s knees hang out of his trousers
The soles on his shoes flap about
And his coat… well he hasn’t got one
He’s a tough little lad when he’s out.
‘Santa’s gonnna bring me a train, Miss
It’ll go right fast an all
Santa’s gonna bring me a train Miss
I’ll draw a picture to put on the wall.’
His Mum dances topless twice nightly
His Dad live three streets away
‘He’s Dale Dad now,’ he says brightly
‘Santa will come on his sleigh.!’
Christmas is lovely in my home
The tree stands sparkling and tall
The table is laden with goodies
And brightly wrapped presents for all
But as I serve Christmas dinner
Part of me fills with pain
An ache in my heart keeps returning
And one thought keeps filling my brain
‘When Robert woke up this morning
Had Santa left him a train?’
We returned in the new year
And the children wrote all their news
Robert was quiet, not writing
But I noticed a new pair of shoes.
‘I got a watch, Miss’
He said proudly, holding his arm up high
I looked at the watch with interest
My lips ready forming reply
‘But Robert, the hour hands missing’
I said with a sinking heart
‘I know’ said Rob rapidly blinking
‘But the big hand tells me a part,
I know when its quarter to something
I know when it’s quarter past
And Santa he brought it for me
And I didn’t even ask!’
