February Create Challenge: The Sense of Childhood

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This photo and poem are for the February Create Challenge, and in honour of my Dad, who sat for this studio portrait in 1927, when he was about ten months old.

A ten-month-old boy in Tennessee, 1927.

The Sense of Childhood

What the eyes of childhood see:
Generous-bosomed woman filling bath.
Large, busy hands, scrubbing.
A big towel.
Starched smock, engulfing head.
Hairbrush coming towards face.
Bootlaces, doing their mysterious dance.
(Engineering comes later.)
Odd man saying, 'Watch the birdie.'
(There is a birdie. He's stuffed.)
What the ears of childhood hear:
Bantam rooster, crowing.
('Er, er, er…I'm cold.')
Cattle, lowing.
('Moo. Come and milk.')
Daddy, hollering.
('Mary Emma! Where's my…?')
Mama, singing. Not in tune.
('I once was lost in sin, but Jesus took me in…')
A-Model Ford, starting.
('Cough, cough. Chug.' Engineering definitely comes later.)
Heavy shoes on hardwood floors.
('Clump.')
Camera, recording.
('Clickety-click.')
What the nose of childhood smells:
Musty, unpainted room.
Medicinal soap and sulfurous water.
Fresh laundry.
Boot polish.
Mama's talcum powder, laced with snuff.
Daddy's chewing tobacco, mixed with barnyard.
Winter air in the mountains.
Another musty room.
Odd chemicals.
(Must look into this science stuff.)
What the skin of childhood feels:
Featherbed. Heavy and warm.
Floor. Cold.
Water. Rapidly cooling.
Towel. Dry.
Mama. Soft.
(Soft surfaces to cling to. Soft outside, tough inside.)
Daddy. Rough.
(Stubbled chin and calloused hands. Hard outside, kind inside.)
Smooth metal on the car door.
Torn lining on the seat.
Polished wood on chair.
They won't let me touch the camera.
(Really must look into this science stuff.)
What the heart of childhood knows:
It's a journey.
It's full of surprises.
It's all interesting.
Okay, I'll pretend to be solemn.
Take the picture.

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