How We Used To Live
by Nicola Humphreys
In years gone by we had to ration,
a design for life now seen as fashion,
making do and mending,
cutting back on spending.
We have enough, so why accrue more stuff?
Leftovers for tea and a meat-free Monday,
blending smoothies from squishy, squashy fruit that’s all wonky.
more taste, fully traced.
rejoice in the juice!
Reduce and refuse the refuse – grass roots!
Plus it makes the upkeep of our compost dirt cheap.
Recycle and peddle your unwanted online, but
you don’t need to amass new glass jars that all match
in your ‘grammable haste, you’re creating more waste
not least, in your quest, of all things,
a bucket list to become minimalist.
Are you taking the
tots for a trot round the park to let off some steam?
No screens, more green spaces, because it’s a race now.
Going off grid for an hour or two
like you did as a kid, when you played freely.
Go karts, skipping ropes, footballs, wheelies,
where the only cars here are dinky toys,
so run outside and make some noise
in these litter-free streets, with doorsteps so neat.
The alleys are a place to linger
until you’re called in by a parent for dinner.
Inspiration: I was thinking about the uses of our personal outside spaces have changed over the years. (Front gardens were the pride and joy of our parents and now only for cars. Allotments were for poorer people and now have a waiting list.)
Nicola Humphreys is a writer of short fiction and poetry, published as far as New Orleans and Australia. Links to published pieces can be found on her blog aramblingcollective.wordpress.com. A recent eco poem of hers about climate change and moths was in an interactive exhibition at the Botanic Gardens in Glasgow coinciding with COP26. She lives in Leicester, in a damp, rented house. All of her dresses have pockets. @nicolawitters