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Purple
Poets
and
Friends

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THE PURPLE POETS:
GAMES OF CHILDHOOD



MEMORY FOR EVER:
PLAYING MUSICAL CHAIRS WITH THE MAYOR
(by Bithi Das)

PLAYING CARROM
(by Islam Molla)

PLAYING CARROM
WITH THE PURPLE POETS
(by Patsy Futatsugi)

INTRODUCTION TO DANCE
(by Bithi Das)

MEMORIES OF CHILDHOOD
(by Kathy Randle)

EARLY MEMORIES
(by Babushka)

BITHI DAS
Memory For Ever:
Playing Musical Chairs
With the Mayor
for Jill Fraser
10.06.2007


Jill Fraser. The distinguished person
With a distinguished name. 'The Mayor of Camden'

It was a sunny summer day, 2006
I was asked to join Family Sport Event
By the Boys of Surma Centre
          Regent's Park

It came in my mind
The Mayor is coming to
Open the event! I came and waited
          For her to arrive.

A big car came, and there she was:
A beautiful Lady in her pink
Salwar Kamiz - Indian outfit.
          The Lady Mayor.

She was surrounded by people
          Who wanted to greet her.

In due course
The Event started.
There were many games
          Mostly for children.

I was asked to join the game
For the grown-up ladies
Called Musical Chair.
          Jill joined too.

Jill and I stayed side by side.
It was the moment when we became
Just like children trying to secure our seats.
          But we didn't win.

Soon Jill and I were out.
But during our play, I saw Jill's face
A little girl, enjoying her past
          Forgotten days.



Bithi Das was inspired to write this poem after Jill Fraser,
Mayor of Camden, opened the London Time Bank
2006 National Poetry Day Celebrations
(Diorama Gallery Euston Square, West London).

ISLAM MOLLA
PLAYING CARROM
15.01.2009


'an ordinary middle class game
of Indian sub-continent'



First time I played Carrom
My sister hit me on the head

Because I could not pocket the counter
At the first flick.

It is quite a relaxing and competitive game
The winners are rewarded with money or a trophy

I was rewarded
With a hit on my head.

I still play Carrom
But not with my sister.

PATSY FUTATSUGI
Playing Carrom
With the Purple Poets
05.01.2009


Imagine the scene
with all the talking and laughing
and whooping when it hits home

Food being cooked to hand round
Greasy fingers
Wonderful aroma!

Playing Carrom is like Pool
without a cue
Flicking Fingers to Thumb

And it hurts

Especially when you lose.

KATHY RANDLE
Memories of Childhood
27.07.2006

I remember the smells, the yells,
And the street calls
Of the cats-meat-man
And the winkle-and-cockle woman.

These were regular noises
In our cul-de-sac
Of tenement houses
In Chalk Farm.

Three families shared our house
"Auntie" Dora and her cats on the ground.
Mum and I in one room
On the second.

And the Ciccones on the top.
We all got on OK,
But the six kids plus Mum and Dad
Were always shouting in Italian.

Summer was great in our street
Only the odd horse-and-cart came by;
And the barrel organ and the monkey.

The whole street was ours for fun and games.

Rolling old tyres up and down;
Hop-scotch, whip and top, marbles,
Flicking cigarette cards and
Snakes and ladders on the pavement,

You could move from house to house
Enjoying the games, nearly as good
As Hampstead Heath Fair!
But no money needed.

When I pass it on the bus
All that is left are the memories.
Our street bombed,
High-rise flats there now

No more street games.
Anywhere.



Kathy Randle first performed this poem at the Cumberland Market Festival,
Cumberland Market, at 2 p.m. on the Main Stage on July 29, 2006.
She also read it at the First Annual Winter Capital Age Festival,
February 8th 2007, London City Hall. Performed at Language Day,
The West Euston Partnership H-Pod, February 22nd 2007.

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.

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

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