Our backyard was like paradise, in my childhood

Kids would meet here, from all around the neighbourhood

Room enough to kick a footy, and play cricket

There was a great peppercorn tree to climb, and a huge berry thicket

Also large fruit trees, peaches, apricots and pears

I remember the loganberry vine, thorns like spears

And plucking the purple berries, our arms protected by hessian bags

The fruit picking season would be so much fun

Best of all, was scaling the loaded fruit trees

Clambering up through the middle trunks

Higher and higher, going from branch to branch

Stretching full-out to pick the ripened sweets

Filling the carry baskets, and our pockets too

Like fruit lollies, succulent and juicy, always eating three or two !

Mum would diligently de-stone and half them all

Carefully stacking them in glass jars, standing so tall

Cooking for hours, in the giant Vacola Boiler pot

The lids were sealed and clamped while still hot

Preserved as our dinner sweets for many months to come

During those years of joy, under the backyard sun

Ivor Steven (c) November 2017

Featured Photo:  -simplebites.net

Sincere thanks to, Michelle, of “Her Writing Haven”, for being the inspiration and encouragement behind these words, while I was having a few days of rest away from my writing desk. Please read her poem, “Writers Unite !”