How to Reconstruct Female Ancestors

You must begin with the right kind of skin,
rhinoceros, elephant; a mouth to roll flat vowels,
a temperament to boil kettles.  Eyes too are important,
 
deep blue denim, pale blue dusk. Strong hands
that can make sixpence turn its face towards a shilling,
wrap up bygone disasters in fish and chip news,
 
keep plates spinning. Define the fingers as callous,
and red blistered from strangling stains with palms closed
to possibilities. Fists more crooked than clenched,
 
must be able to grasp brushes, dishrags, brooms
as if lives depended on them.  Move onto legs,
lisle stockinged, bunion footed; silly, short,
 
sturdy legs made for standing in queues,
bus stops, made for carrying the heft of a household.
Feet that understand how to measure each step,
 
dance the tarantella. Forget the torso, there is no need
to know about the unwanted ones, gin purged,
tin bath soaked, blood shucked in a bucket,
 
those shawl wrapped bodies with shoulder slanting signals.
Focus on their ability to navigate lino edges, curtain hems,
pegged hearthrugs. To set tables for Sunday tea.
 
End with the back, a slab, hunched, defiant.

Tina Cole

Following on from Forged (Yaffle Press- 2021) which focussed the physical landscape of a Black Country childhood. What it Was highlights an emotional landscape considering not only, what it was, but why and how that came about. These poems bypass blame and shame and sentimentality opening windows onto the world of pass-the-parcel generational trauma and family dysfunction.  You will find hardship and humour described with hard hitting imagery that is both familiar and unsettling. These are matrilineal stories tracking mothers, grandmothers, daughters trying to find some common ground. What it Was – Mark Time Press – December 2023 Copies available from the author – priced £12 to cover post and packing

If you have any thoughts about this poem or this publication,  Tina Cole   would be pleased to hear them