When mother was out of work,
the social services didn’t give her any money,
but coupons she could use at a second hand shop.
To get me a woolly jumper and boots
and for herself a winter coat.
Mother got a fur lined coat
she was mighty proud of,
till a lady stopped us in the street and told mother
that once the coat had belonged to her.
After that mother only used the coat
when we’re doing our newspaper rounds
in freezing winter mornings.
When times improved,
she got a job, at a canning factory,
putting sardines into tins
and the coat disappeared
from the nail behind her bedroom door.