Shady Lady



Only for the baby; nappies, cream ‘n’ stuff.
That’s all it was,
Yet they called it shoplifting.
Pressed charges,
And she was done.

Of all dark things under the Sun,
Debbie was a shady lady
But she did good for her kids
And yes – she was on the skids.

Debbie was rough, lifestrewn,
Her days started at noon.
Kids, and plenty of them,
Ran the house, woke her with coffee.
Nearly done for, writing on the wall.
Debbie was a warrior.

Now she yearned
For something unknown to her,
Something she couldn’t see.
Her children, her life, was one.
They always tried to take it
But the light in her heart alweays shone.

Debbie spoke to her eldest, Doreen,
Who, at fourteen, knew the world.
Debbie looked after the kids and baby,
Doreen intervened occasionally but brilliantly.

Debbie loved Doreen, a real Kiddo.
Debbie knew she wouldn’t be sent down
But she might be ‘held up’ for a time.
Doreen vowed her love and support,
“Mum, don’t worry, we all love you so much
and Baby will be told, when he’s old enough.”

Debbie took all her kids to one side,
Tried to explain through tears,
That even after all hard years past,
Their love was still hard and fast.
She loved ‘em to bits.

She told them to be strong,
That her prayers would be hard and long.
A group hug without any tears,
A solid clustered foundation for future golden years.

And a shady Lady, with a heart where it belongs.

You're so amazing, my dear friend, you astound me every time you post a new poem. Awesome talent you have, Sir, to show us a whole life in minutes, the characters playing among the words as we read.

You're so much more than a Poet, Sir Rusty!

Love and Blessings,

Alice