CLIVE BANBURY

DAD  

 

Mum and dad were married, on the Island in sixty three.

Their family and friends were all ferried to the do,

They sang and danced and drank and ate and then they made to leave,

Their honeymoon was pending and their life to start a new,

But their friends were now on holiday and partying having fun

They abandoned plans of romance and stayed with everyone.

 

They moved to Thurrock in sixty four with jobs for both arranged.

Dad followed the roads to the council and met Walter, Dave and Roy,

Mum was teaching English when things began to change,

She found herself with baby and they both were full of joy.

He was dreaming of a footballer and his mind was in a swirl

Then Nanny Else announced ‘you have a lovely little girl’.

 

Joanne was born in sixty five and he continued playing football

Grays Athletic was the team and he scored a lot of goals,

In sixty seven they found a house and moved when she could crawl,

The School House needed painting as there were a lot of holes,

Mum was pregnant and his hopes were for a little mister

Joanne raced for news from Else, ‘You have a little sister’.

 

They settled into family life and they even got a puppy

A German shepherd, Sheba was bought to join the brood.

In sixty eight they tried again as dad was feeling lucky.

A baby boy for sports and games to relieve his solitude.

Dad had gotten wiser and had a new plan to deploy.

A girl they said, no he replied she’s gonna be a tomboy.

 

This set the scene for the next few years with Debbie, Fran and Jo.

The years rolled on with taxied trips to modern, dance and tap,

swimming, piano, drama and the rudimentary show.

After 20 years of football it was time to have a nap,

He hunted for a new sport for the man he had become

And took up playing rugby which was still a lot of fun.

 

The teenage years were tricky for a dad with females three,

With boyfriend’s constant at the door to see if they’d get lucky.

And phone bills in the hundreds as the girls were all carefree.

He decided that he’d join them and got himself a buggy.

A purple car made for the beach he drove on the streets of Grays

It drove itself from the rugby club on many Saturdays.

 

As time moved on he thought the girls should start to move on out.

Joanne worked casinos but returned to mum and dad’s.

Frannie left for Uni and was gone or thereabout.

Then after four years she returned which made him a little sad.

Debbie had met John by then and they’d even bought a shack.

But building work was needed and then suddenly she’s back.

 

Finally the time had come the girls had moved along.

The remote control was finally his, the world was now his oyster.

The news, the racing, boxing, no more Eastender’s song.

The seat beside the fire in the cosy little cloister.

He thought he’d find a new fad, with testosterone and burly

And found himself committed to the rugby played by girlies.