Lament of a Housewife (1946 rationing poem)

[GloomyGraham]

Hi all,

I thought some of you may be interested in this (rare?) poem by Enid. As it's not really something for the children, I thought it might not have been mentioned on the website or in the magazine previously.

Unfortunately, it comes from an archived Australian newspaper which was bound and the last word of some lines is missing (though you can guess many of them) but I thought I would post a screen-shot here for any of the scholars to have a look at.

Apparently it originally appeared in the 'Sunday Graphic' in June 1946.

The first verse of the poem appears to be:

How I wish that each MP
Owned a wife who was just like me
Who'd curse him when she stood in queues
To buy her hapless children shoes
(And then was told the ??? Trade
Has said 'that size must not be made!')

Four more verses here and I thought others might try to fill in the missing words from them.

https://ibb.co/S7m7Fyb" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;


Though Enid may have been wise to keep the issue of rationing out of her children's books, she obviously had issues with it!

[pete9012S]

Most interesting. Many thanks, GG.

[Katharine]

An interesting poem.

I think I worked out several of the missing words, but others have left me scratching my head.

[Anita Bensoussane]

That is interesting, GloomyGraham.

In the verse you quoted, I think the fifth line ends with "Board of Trade".

In my mind I've finished the cut off lines as follows, though they may not be accurate:

Owned a wife who was just like me

...when she stood in queues

To buy her hapless children shoes

...The Board of Trade

...must not be made!")

...with a carving knife

...if he rations bread

...boys and girls are fed

...half his share

...cupboards bare

...wives of all M.P.s

...bended knees

...cut our soap

...how can we cope

...stains and dirt

...wash his shirt!)

...greet with howls

...cows and fowls

...that here

...will appear

...it's clear/plain to see

... my dear M.P.

...an M.P.'s wife

...an awful life

...and you

...children too

...rights that must be recognised

...nationalised.

[Tony Summerfield]

https://www.enidblytonsociety.co.uk/bly ... perid=4474" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

I will see if we can put the whole poem in at some stage.

[Anita Bensoussane]

Thanks, Tony. It would be brilliant to see the whole poem and not have to rely on guesswork!

[GloomyGraham]

That is interesting, GloomyGraham.

In the verse you quoted, I think the fifth line ends with "Board of Trade".

Ahh - yes!

Glad to see it does seem to be a bit of a rarity and helps add another verse or two to Enid's vast output.