• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar

belgianwaffle

  • Home
  • About
  • Archives

Parents’ revenge

6 April, 2009
Posted in: Reading etc.

For reasons I will not bore you with, I have discovered what is on the leaving certificate English syllabus (yes, yes, it’s all true, we’re familiarising the children with some of the easier poets to make them a shoo in for high grades in 12 years time). Roger McGough who was unknown to me is on the list, I looked him up. You may like his work. A sample is reproduced below. Whether it is suitable for cranky adolescents is a moot point.

PAY-BACK TIME

O Lord, let me be a burden on my children
For long they’ve been a burden upon me.
May they fetch and carry, clean and scrub
And do so cheerfully.

Let them take it in turns at putting me up
Nice sunny rooms at the top of the stairs
With a walk-in bath and lift installed
At great expense…..Theirs.

Insurance against the body-blows of time
Isn’t that what having children’s all about?
To bring them up knowing that they owe you
And can’t contract out?

What is money for but to spend on their schooling?
Designer clothes, mindless hobbies, usual stuff.
Then as soon as they’re earning, off they go
Well, enough’s enough.

It’s been a blessing watching them develop
The parental pride we felt as each one grew.
But Lord, let me be a burden on my children
And on my children’s children too.

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. cha0tic says

    7 April, 2009 at 15:01

    I thought you had to be nice to your children, as they’re the ones that choose ‘The Home’ you go to.

  2. Praxis says

    8 April, 2009 at 19:09

    Mmm… I’m sure it would be more effective to put all the money saved by not having children into paying for a good nurse in one’s old age. That’s my strategy, anyway.

  3. BroLo says

    9 April, 2009 at 12:24

    Wonderful. Almost makes me want to go out and bake a batch myself!

Primary Sidebar

Flickr Photos

IMG_4280
More Photos
April 2009
M T W T F S S
 12345
6789101112
13141516171819
20212223242526
27282930  
« Mar   May »
Tweets by Belgianwaffle

Categories

  • Belgium (141)
  • Boys (759)
  • Cork (186)
  • Daniel (515)
  • Dublin (403)
  • Family (547)
  • Hodge (44)
  • Ireland (762)
  • Liffey Journal (7)
  • Michael (507)
  • Miscellaneous (71)
  • Mr. Waffle (456)
  • Princess (983)
  • Reading etc. (539)
  • Siblings (164)
  • The tale of Lazy Jack Silver (18)
  • Travel (149)
  • Work (163)

Subscribe via Email

Subscribe Share
Privacy & Cookies: This site uses cookies. By continuing to use this website, you agree to their use.
To find out more, including how to control cookies, see here: Cookie Policy

© 2003–2021 belgianwaffle · Privacy Policy · Write