The following poems were written in Langley by participants of the Small Things Creative STORY BOX sessions held in at Langfield Care Home on 3rd & 4th June 2019. The sessions used the Overspill theme to share stories of Home and Community with participants who were living with, or caring for someone with, dementia.
Not a very nice street
I’m the char woman!
£5 an hour – that’s cheap!
I’m cheap because I help my neighbours.
We’ve got a chef – from Nandos – chicken, rice and peas.
We once cooked a meal for Gracie Fields.
It was years ago now.
I used to build tanks.
David’s a pilot – flies planes – to Blackpool
In an aeroplane?
Carry on cruising Margaret!
All round the Med.
There’s been a burglary on the street – she’s got sticky fingers that one.
She’s taken the sliver candlesticks.
We’ve got Calamity Jane on our street
I bring in the horses – Yeehah!
And Jack the lad too
He spends all the time in the pub!
Community
Written in response to pictures of different community places and spaces
It’s a big block of houses
I’ve seen this on television.
Are these recent ones?
It’s alright but it’s the prices, isn’t it?
It reminds me of a train.
Flats – where people are living.
Depends on how thin the walls are.
You can hear your neighbours.
Tescos – where is it abouts?
A nice house.
I’d like to live in this one.
When I worked in a hospital – I had a flat there.
Doors
Cars.
Windows.
5 people.
The park – where the children play.
A nice housing estate wherever this is.
These look like maisonettes.
Home
Written in response to images of houses
That’s gorgeous!
In the middle of the forest
That one’s a modern one.
I’ve seen one like that on television.
That’s like Snow White that one.
That would be cosy.
It looks really nice – a nice area.
Everybody got nice curtains.
It looks a happy place.
Definite.
Big and cosy – nice at Christmas
(Not a nice electric bill though!)
Like the old homes at the top of our road.
I don’t like flats.
This is a nice house.
And a bike – oh my god!
“Get on yer bike, Alice!”
That’s all we had – a bike.
I like the bungalow.
It’s compact – not too much work.
Nice neighbours? I’ll have two chances
Every house is happy – it’s what you make it.
D’you fancy having a swimming pool? Ooh yeah!
We could paddle
Get the wellies on!
Nice house
On my bike.
Where would you go?
Probably in the river!
Too small – this house.
Too small to live in.
I like the square one.
I like this one cos it’s more open.
Ooh look – my dream home.
