40. Aunt Tootsie

Dear Aunt Tootsie,
with dyed black hair
and cherry lips
came to tea each Sunday

we ate the sliced white sandwiches
of red tinned salmon (and small white bones)
piled on plates alongside
a brick of Battenburg cake

but best of all when tea was done
Cream Soda poured into tall glasses
and a scoop of Wall's ice cream
was slurped slowly watching 'Songs of Praise'

She made up tales
of naughty girls and wicked boys,
who always suffered for it
in the end

After she'd gone
sometimes I'd ask where was Dave's dad
but tight lipped silence
was always Mum's stock answer

Dear Aunt Tootsie
with dyed black hair and cherry lips
you came to tea on Sundays
and lit up even the dullest afternoon.