http://www.davidselzer.com/2009/12/a-bit-of-a-shambles/ Writer of Poetry, Screen Plays, Stage Plays & Fiction Fri, 27 Jan 2012 18:23:33 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 http://www.davidselzer.com/2009/12/a-bit-of-a-shambles/comment-page-1/#comment-119 Lesley Johnson Mon, 25 Jan 2010 18:29:47 +0000 http://www.davidselzer.com/?p=573#comment-119 Have only ever read about this fairly common experience of an evacuee's rejection in some general accounts of the second world war, so I was pleased to read this perceptive poem. Its low key masks two raw wounds. Everybody can readily access the feelings of the child. But there can be few things worse than failing to live up to one's own high ideals, as happens with these adults. When I was a teenager and with a full life of my own to absorb my attention, my parents tried fostering twice. They had always wished for a son. The first boy's placement was a complete success and two years later he was warmly welcomed back into his own family home. The second twelve year old not even my amazingly wise and compassionate father was able to help. Eventually my parents admitted defeat, and Jimmy was taken back into Care with the same dismaying result for my well meaning Mum and Dad as is described in this poem. Have only ever read about this fairly common experience of an evacuee’s rejection in some general accounts of the second world war, so I was pleased to read this perceptive poem. Its low key masks two raw wounds. Everybody can readily access the feelings of the child. But there can be few things worse than failing to live up to one’s own high ideals, as happens with these adults. When I was a teenager and with a full life of my own to absorb my attention, my parents tried fostering twice. They had always wished for a son. The first boy’s placement was a complete success and two years later he was warmly welcomed back into his own family home. The second twelve year old not even my amazingly wise and compassionate father was able to help. Eventually my parents admitted defeat, and Jimmy was taken back into Care with the same dismaying result for my well meaning Mum and Dad as is described in this poem.

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