Slummy Mummy Dedications

Hello Poetry Lovers

Okay, I’ve plugged Slummy Mummy but now it’s time to feature the real reason for its emergence.

This book is dedicated to two of my school mum friends who left us too soon. I’ll feature Kate Dodd in this post, and the lovely Ann Buxton in the next.

Katie was adorable and a real bolster on the afternoon school pick-ups. My son was close friends with her boy in those intense years of 3 & 4.

I have no photos of Katie, we weren’t so camera obsessed in the early noughties, but I’ve drawn pictures from my rosy memories of her. Anyway, read on;

Kate

Kate, I hope you like this material

and that it makes you immortal

I wonder if I can feel your presence

although I don’t believe in the paranormal

I will never forget Petersham Nurseries

where we had lemon cake and coffee

Trying not to choke on their fancy prices

and the lovely Senem ordered banoffee

She went back to Turkey

and our boys grew up and apart

We moved to chatting in the street

But friendship still ingrained in my heart

then a former school mum

told me that you had abruptly left

Twickenham suffered a terrible blow

and Petersham Nurseries was bereft

Did you fly through their glass panes?

in the guise of red breasted robin?

a symbol of a departed soul?

I hope not because I’m scared of them!

H Moulson 2026

Kate had a great sense of humour and she would appreciate that last line! Why do people leave us like this?!

Anyway, back to plugging the book…..stay tuned.