hey, I remember bedbugs!! Not much though generally when sleeping over as a
kid. That sweet smell is really quite sickening. Cockroaches have the same
smell when you crush them or zap! them with Mortine. Nice meander to the
poem and the last strophe is delightful. regards Arthur.
----- Original Message -----
From: "grasshopper" <[log in to unmask]>
To: <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Wednesday, October 23, 2002 6:48 PM
Subject: New sub: Gran and the bedbugs


> Er, talking about Grandmothers: I apologise in advance for this.I think
it's
> just something I have to get out of my system...
>
>
> Gran and the bedbugs
>
> Gran told me that she stayed
> with his parents in Wales
> for her honeymoon. Bedbugs
> marched across the ceiling
> in battalions and he stood
> on the bed and reached up
> to crush them with his bare hands.
> She can still remember the smell,
> sharp and sweet like death
> dissolved in raspberry juice.
>
> Next day, Granda went to Sirhowy
> to help his brother build a wall
> and the carter came by.
> Gran rode with him to town.
> On the way she took the reins
> and drove the trap and he laughed
> at a city girl going so fast.
> It was good with the mountain wind
> in her face, Gran said,
> and green fields slipping by.
>
> There were more sheep than people
> and all wandering about.
> Gran hoped they wouldn't get run
> over. Sometimes she spoke
> to them and they looked at her
> quite mild and friendy-like.
> From the hills she could look
> down into the valley and see
> the dark mist of the mine.
> There were sounds like thunder
> but she didn't know if they came
> from the sky or the earth.
>
> After the honeymoon
> they came back to London
> and Gran was glad to leave
> the bedbugs, though she missed
> the mountains. She often
> went to Regent's park to feed
> the ducks or to Greenwich
> where the squirrels would sit on
> your shoulder or pickpocket
> the nuts from your coat.
>
> A few months later she heard
> Granda's brother had been killed
> when the tunnel caved in.
> It took a day to dig his body out.
> Gran shivered and bagged
> all the sheets for the bath-house
> to give them a good wash.
>
> She borrowed a bag of laundry blue
> from Lil, who had a new baby
> with a purple stain on his cheek.
> Lil said it was because he was conceived
> when she was on. Gran didn't like
> to talk about things like that.
> She just said she was sure
> the mark would fade in time.
>
>                           grasshopper