From the old family album by catarina.berg on Flickr.
This is sweet
Runestone, Antuna, Sweden by Swedish National Heritage Board on Flickr.
“
She sits in the park. Her clothes are out of date.
Two children whine and bicker, tug her skirt.
A third draws aimless patterns in the dirt
Someone she loved once passed by – too late
to feign indifference to that casual nod.
“How nice” et cetera. “Time holds great surprises.”
From his neat head unquestionably rises
a small balloon…”but for the grace of God…”
They stand a while in flickering light, rehearsing
the children’s names and birthdays. “It’s so sweet
to hear their chatter, watch them grow and thrive, ”
she says to his departing smile. Then, nursing
the youngest child, sits staring at her feet.
To the wind she says, “They have eaten me alive.”
—
In the Park
Gwen Harwood
“Battle of Britain. Children in an English bomb shelter.”
England, 1940-41
From British Information Service/U.S. Office of War Information
Thanks to Shorpy Historic Photo Archive - View full size (via luzfosca)
