Old House 2.

The creaking floorboards,
Whispering tales of the past,
Silent witnesses.

Faded photographs,
Ghosts of laughter and tears lost,
In the ancient walls.

Shadows dance softly,
Between echoes of footsteps,
History lingers.

Steve Halstead.

Old Prints And The Architecture Of Bradford (A True Story)

In her attic, there lay a box of memories,
A treasure trove of moments frozen in time,
Photographs of days gone by, of smiling faces,
Old churches whose bells still chime in my mind.

As I sifted through this box of treasures,
I stumbled upon prints of Bradford’s architecture,
A city stoic and proud, with buildings tall and grand,
A testament to its history, these buildings still stand.

And as I gazed upon these structures,
My heart ached with both joy and sorrow,
Though these buildings stood so tall and mighty,
I knew they were in the shadow of tomorrow.

Mum’s passing taught me this,
That life is but a fleeting moment in time,
And all that we hold dear, all that we cherish,
Can be lost in a blink or a rhyme.

So as I looked at those old prints of Bradford,
I felt a sense of awe and humility,
They reminded me of the power of memories,
And the importance of cherishing them with dignity.

And though Mum may be gone, her memory remains,
Preserved forever in those old prints and photographs,
A legacy of love that will always remain,
A beacon of light in the shadows of the past.

Steve Halstead.

Mum

Before I go, I want you to know
Just behind you, look open that door
In an old biscuit tin dated 1964
My collection of old photographs
Some of your grandad from the great war

A letter for you to read on the top of the tin
And a book of poetry disclosed within
Some are just things I read in a magazine
Others very personal about you and me
Most about life, something we’ve seen.

In the tin were people I’d never forget
Others I’d never met
Browning edges, creased corners
Opening Doors to the past, telling stories
Lost in time, although someone knew them
I don’t, and I’m the last remaining one.

Steve Halstead.

Thinking Out Loud.

I was thinking out loud today.
A thought, I think I should conceal,
It hit me hard I sank to one knee;
I have to let you know how I feel.

The time we’ve spent together, you and I,
Is only a tiny tremor in time,
And when I look into your eyes,
Am I lost in these thoughts of mine?

I should tell you more I love you,
We both know I always will,
Memories are a point of view,
Photographs alive but still,

So it’s easy to feel and see,
The love and grace of your devotion,
The sun is setting up on the quay,
Your heart is as big as the ocean,

So I say to you, with my failing life,
With all my love, spirit, soul and heart
My perfect match, the most faithful wife,
We’ve always been the sum of two parts.

Steve Halstead.

There’s an Old Photograph on the Wall

There’s an old photograph on the wall
Black and white of course and grainy
Taken many years ago.
Soldiers parading past the courthouse
Long before one- way systems and no entry signs
Few cars on the road and yellow lines
Not yet invented

A judge, clad in his bright red robe
(Though grey in the photo)
Forever bows as the officer salutes the worthy man.
People gathered along the footpath
Watching in awe as the spectacle unfolds
The buildings, many of which are now gone,
Seem always old
When people lived over banks and shops.
And look, forever caught on camera
A young girl stands at a window
Intently watching the procession.
Tubas, trumpets and drums calling all to see
She, frozen in time, will always be young
And period in her dress.

What thoughts running through her childish mind
What life to come.
Where is she now
A woman, old in time
A grandmother
Down all the years changing
And yet she will be forever young
Forever standing at the window staring
Forever looking at events long gone
Her memories stored on fading paper
For future generations to see.
What thoughts we cannot know
Nor should we
Just a two dimensional image

Caught in time.
So stare,
She won’t mind.

By Norman Turkington

Check Out Norman’s Books Nearly Man And Nearly Man 2 Almost There.

Sometimes deeply reflective, at others verging on the romantic but often

whimsical, this further volume of his poems reveals a few more,

but maybe not all, of the answers to the complexities of the Nearly Man.

Available From Amazon.