................................................................................................................
Babushka

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Babushka

BABUSHKA
HOME

A sanctuary,
A place for me.
Somewhere just to rest and be
Myself.


BABUSHKA
HOME - 1950s

Firelight and my mother singing,
Stiffly stirring the christmas pudding!
Silver 3d pieces added just for me,
Gifts piled under the sparkling tree.

Boxing day at Grandma's in best bib and tucker,
All the family gathered looking neat and proper.
Playing cards all evening
Then a huge, cold supper,
Walking home at midnight with a shiver and a
Shudder!

BABUSHKA
HOME - 1980s

I had a home in Romsey Town,
A modest, terraced house, 2 up, 2 down.
A large ginger puss, all plump and round
Shared my little house in Romsey town.

My children grew up in Romsey Town,
In our dear little house, 2 up, 2 down.
Their friends all used to come on down
To our welcome home in Romsey Town.

I worked for a builder in Romsey Town,
Near Romsey Abbey, where the Test flows down.
They built fine houses i could never own,
But Iloved my little home, 2 up, 2 down.

I met my true love in Romsey Town,
No longer a single mum, on my own.
We courted and then we settled down
In my happy little house,2 up, 2 down.

Such happy years Ispent in Romsey Town,
With my large ginger puss, all plump and round.
Life went with a smile and seldom a frown.
In my dear lttle house, 2 up, 2 down.

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Babushka

BABUSHKA
A CHRISTMAS WISH
27.11.2008



My lovely friends at Munster Square
Become more precious year by year,
And even when I'm far away
My thoughts forever with you stay.



I can't have everything I want,
But should my dreams come true,
I'd find a home in Camden Town
And spend my days with you.

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Babushka

BABUSHKA
Dancing Poem
by Babushka
14.03.2008


I have a friend who makes my world
Alright
Her soft laugh is my heart's delight,
My worries fade away.

Let's form our sets and dance with pleasure,
There are moments we must treasure.
The joy of a friend will last for ever
Blessing all our days.

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Babushka

BABUSHKA
A PRAYER FOR KATHY
(for Kathy Randle)
10.10.2007

Be my strength when all else fails me,
Be my shelter from the storm.
Let me feel your love surround me,
Powerful, peaceful, tender, warm.

Be my constant, close companion,
Raise my spirits, fire my heart
With every joyful, sweet sensation -
Let me smile, and let me laugh.

Be the guardian of my future,
Be my  lantern, light my path.
Be the One who will not fail me;
Lead me gently home at last.

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Babushka

BABUSHKA
DREAM
04.10.2007

I can DREAM of summer days,
Of fragrant, sun-kissed flowers;
Of the country garden where we spent
So many fun-filled hours.

I can dream of summer days
When you were by my side.
Then your life had just begun,
And you were my delight.

My little boy, you were my joy,
Your childhood days I treasure.
Now memory lane brings back again
More love than I can measure.

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Babushka

First Draft: ARTISTS AGAINST RACISM

BABUSHKA
LIONS AND LAMBS
22.03.2007

Are we equal, in this day and age?
When the lion lies down with the lamb
Does the lamb get up again?

It should be, it could be
For we're all the same
Under the skin.

One day we'll be more enlightened
Fear and hatred will be no more.

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Babushka

First Draft: ARTISTS AGAINST RACISM


BABUSHKA
SHAME
29.03.2007


Oh, the ignominy, the shame,
When slavery to Eden came
Oh the suffering, the pain,
Fueled by financial gain -
Lives destroyed for sugar cane!

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Babushka

BABUSHKA
BLESSING
29.03.2007


Heavenly Spirit, Love Divine,
Shine upon this heart of mine!

                           Amen.

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Babushka

BABUSHKA
PRAYER
22.03.2007



Safe from harm
In our Father's Arms.
There is peace and joy
Nothing can alloy.

                       Amen.

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Babushka

BABUSHKA
EARLY MEMORIES
22.03.2007


One foot in heaven,
And one foot on the Earth,
That's how it always seemed to me
Since my birth
In grimy North London many years ago.

What a dismal place that was,
Row upon row of sooty, terraced houses.
What was I doing there?
There must be some dreadful mistake.

I had the loveliest mother
But so much was lacking -
No books, no real conversation,
No music, culture or art.
No beauty except her gentle nature.

No men in our street - they were away at the War.
No children - they were all in the country.
No one to play with, just old
Follk and young Mums and babies.

Jimmy James was my salvation,
My brother, father, play-mate, friend.
He had a white star in the middle of his back
This most beautiful cat
And I adored him.

One day my world expanded,
It must have been soon after the War.
I was taken to a big country house
With huge gardens.
Lawns, and flowers, and beauty.

Children of all ages were dancing
To music, live music.
I joined in, and we danced
Until the sun went down.

It was heaven.

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Babushka

BABUSHKA
CATS
22.03.2007



Silken fur and velvet paws
Hear the thunderous applause
Of purring, purring, purring.

Green eyes glowing, can it be
This tiger wants to sit with me?

When I waken, how many
                    Will there be,
Warm little bodies, snuggled
                     Up to me?

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Babushka

BABUSHKA
LIMERICK
17.03.2007




A charming young lass from Kilarney
Was courting a lad in the Army.
He promised they'd wed,
But left her instead,
Because he was full of the Blarney!




A LIMERICK
BY BABUSHKA'S SON
(AGED 8)

There once was a hamster called Nellie,
Whose whiskers were sticky and smelly.
This was not, if you please,
Some strange new disease,
But an extraordinary liking for jelly.

[written by Stuart, aged 8, 1980]

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Babushka

BABUSHKA
Babushka (Grandmother)
26.09.2001

The Babushka I admire most
Lived a hundred years ago
In a house by the River Dvina
Close to the Arctic Circle.

Babushka was kind and wise.
Her lovely home was a haven
For lonely Uncles and Aunts;
They came in October and stayed
Until the river melted in April.

Dedushka was a Doctor who
Never turned anyone away;
His surgery was in the house
Babushka nurtured her family,
Her samovar was always singing.
She baked seasoned delicacies,
And sewed exquisite dolls' clothes
From scraps of silk and fur.

In Winter, the frozen Dvina became
A magical highway.
Swaddled in furs, deep in her sleigh
Babushka travelled behind her galloping horses
As they raced along the ice.
Friends called out greetings
To each other as their sleighs passed.


At Christmas the ballroom
Was transformed by a thousand
Lights on her tree.
The children all had a small
Table piled high with the gifts
She had made and wrapped.

At Easter Babushka prepared
The traditional feast.

When the Revolution finally reached
Their remote corner of Russia,
Dedushka was imprisoned,
Then sent into exile.
Babushka asked if she
Could accompany him.

The house was seized, but
Babushka had wisely
Distributed her jewels and
Treasures among her Mama-sans
In nearby villages.

When they were allowed to return,
They were allowed one small room
Where Dedushka set up his surgery.






*Babushka is Russian for Grandmother; Dedushka for Grandfather. A Russian Aunt is Tootah, A Russian Uncle is DyaDya.

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Babushka

BABUSHKA
GRACE
March 2006

Spirit of Love,
There is a place
For Everyone
Within Thy Grace

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Babushka

BABUSHKA
TWO BLESSINGS:
22.06.2006

BLESSING ONE

May the love which has no
beginning and no end
bless us this day.
                          AMEN

BLESSING TWO

Deer in the Forest
Fish in the Sea
Tell of our Maker's Love
for You and me.
                            AMEN

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Babushka

Our Workshop Community


Which culture is friendship?
What colour is laughter?
We're one family
And we learn from each other.


by Babushka
West Euston Workshop Purple Poets

-one of a series of three postcards co-produced with LOPSG
for the 2007 Summer Capital Age Festival, Southbank, London.



BABUSHKA
(FIRST DRAFT)

COMMUNITY:
(For the Third Age Project
and West EustonWorkshop)
06.07.2006


The talented people of Munster Square
Are gentle and generous
And really do care
About each other

Come just as you are,
for you'll be accepted
The welcome's sincere,
The smiles unaffected.

It's never too late to learn a new skill
Have fun with whatever appeals to you.
Maybe crafts or belly-dancing would fit the bill!
Try something you never could do!

Which culture is friendship?
What colour is laughter?
We're one family
And we learn from each other.

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Babushka

BABUSHKA
Mary
06.07.2006


Paul McCartney put it best
In his hit song, "Let It Be."
When he's troubled it's his
"Mother, Mary. comes to me,
Bringing words of wisdom,
"Let it be."

Mary and the infant Jesus
Is how it all began
Mary and Martha, Mary Magdalene
Such a popular biblical name.

A name associated with the tenderest
truest love -
Holy, pure and lovely.
Impossible to live up to -
Still reflecting an unselfish life
And sweet grace from heaven above.

OUR PURPLE POETS  WEBSITE IS DEDICATED TO THE MEMORY OF FOUNDING PURPLE POET KATHY RANDLE AND ROSE HACKER Workshops and Workshoping The Four Core Values. 1. We treat people as assets. We support the positive actions people can and want to do for their community. 2. We are re-defining work Regardless of the task,   everyone's time is valued equally we value whatever it takes to make neighbourhoods safe and vibrant. 3.We reciprocate. We require that everyone gives something back ensuring all in our society have the opportunity to be involved in their community. 4. We support the development of social networks. These require ongoing investments of social capital generated by trust, reciprocity and civic engagement.

Bloomsbury Workshop
PURPLE POETS

For more information
about any of our projects

please go to: 
www.purplepoets.com

............................................................

TBUK Workshoping UK, The Exchange, Brick Row, Stroud GL5 1DF Tel: 01453 750952 info@timebanks.co.uk............................................................

Bloomsbury Workshop
established 20.10.2010

THE PURPLE POETS HAVE INCLUDED, OVER THE YEARS: (CLICK TO READ THEIR WORK) Babushka, Bithi Das, Brenda Stevenson, Carol Moon, Eileen Francis, Eppie Caredda, Ferdous Rahman, Serajul Islam Molla, Jean Watt, Kathy Randle, Nahar Islam, Norah Platt, Patsy Futatsugi, Shelagh Beale, Sheila Green, Steve Maly. The Purple Poets are members of Workshoping UK, and have co-produced  projectswith The Bloomsbury Workshop, The West Euston Workshop,  The Third Age Project Drama (The TADs) directed by Gary Kielty and T.A.P.'s Fine Line-Dancers led by Alicia Frost, as well as co-producing projects with the Wellcome Trust, and the Quaker Library.

BABUSHKA'S  RECOMMENDED
COMMUNITY CLASSES AND LINKS:


COUNTRY DANCE LED BY MARY PANTON

THIRD AGE PROJECT
Nurjahan Urmi
Tony Bloor
Crypt Centre
Munster Square
West Euston
London NW1 3PL
Tel: 0207 383 4922
info@thirdageproject.org.uk
Country Dancing, Pottery, Drama
Line Dancing, and other activities