In My Mind's Nose

In my mind's nose, paraffin fumes

On the playroom air

And meths for lighting the Tilley lamp

And hot rubber urging me to chew

My hottie-bottie, kettle filled.

Musty rooms

Old and dusty, suddenly bare,

Lonely:  we shall decamp,

To Harrogate, start anew,

Be again our more sophisticated selves.

Others gone, house stilled,

Just mother sweeping crumbs

From the flagged floor,

Taking damp novels from left behind shelves,

Chucking them into the stove.

Whiff of wet paper smouldering

Before she shuts the door.

In my minds nose, orange, cinnamon and clove,

With fishy Copydex glue,

Christmassy activities, crepe paper frilled,

And chains of plain white,

But that’s partly in my mind’s sight,
I suppose.