A Beginning

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A Beginning

Fridays after dinner we’d go to the library.

Freddy the Pig plus grown up looking

books for Lawrence. For me blue

biographies where nothing famous happened

to Nellie Bly or Swamp Fox

until the last chapter. Plus at least

one Enid Blyton Adventure book.

After ice cream cones we drove home

thirsty in the back seat

ready to read.

I’d already read the Narnia books

so I was clear on the ingredients:

treacle, torches, Turkish Delight

four kids on holiday saying, “Do, let’s!”

Occasionally a helpful adult

appeared but mostly grown-ups

were dangerous in The Island of Adventure,

The Castle of Adventure, the valley,

the sea, mountain, ship, circus, river

wherever.. of Adventure.

Here now in the Pandemic of Adventure

we four friends have not been sent to the country

to wait it out – no brusque cook lays out

our afternoon tea and gingerbread,

no kindly professor ignores us as we explore

long halls, enchanted woods and abandoned mines.

The wardrobe’s just a closet full of coats,

sleeping bags and old suitcases.

But when summer comes we’ll

build a raft and float to safety.