I smelt again the smoke of Senior Service cigarettes ...

Soon, all we heard were the siren songs of Jacobean settles, distressed step ladders and 1000 piece jigsaws - 

We wandered, like dazed mariners, amongst 1930s bric a brac - 

Anne bought a mirror, Sophie and Paul a chest and a brass poker - 

I gazed at the adventure stories for boys, with their daredevil covers - 

Trappers grappled with bears, sahibs quelled dacoits, plucky scouts showed true grit - 

I turned over the pages of thick damp paper, heavy with manly worlds - 

I remembered reading my own Boys' Book of the Royal Navy - 

I smelt the again the smoke of Senior Service cigarettes - 

15.30

Tuesday 29 December 2015

Dorset Curiosity Centre

Dortchester