‘Ooh, an electric blanket
‘To keep my toes toasty and warm.’
Ma said ‘My mother told us,
“We used to have a warming pan.”’
‘A warming pan? What’s that?’
‘With a long wooden handle,
‘And a brass dish with a lid.
‘My gran put red hot coals into it,
‘Took it to beds, swished it around.
‘Then in they’d get, snug and warm. While
‘Ice formed
‘Inside the windows. The ice
‘Stayed all night, left puddles next day.’
Then Nan added her childhood tale,
Of plates put into the range.
When heated up, her ma and pa,
Wrapped the plates in newspaper,
Gave each child one to take to bed.
It warmed them as ice formed
Inside the windows.
‘Ma bought us electric blankets,
‘At 8pm she said
‘Go switch the blanket on’
‘At 9pm, ‘Goodnight, don’t forget
‘To switch the blanket off.’
We were snug and warm as
Ice formed
Inside the windows.
Polly Robinson © 2013
