in the late afternoon glow

the end of day

was still 

as fresh as apples 

in the late afternoon glow

and conjured forth old thoughts  

of pots and pots 

of steamy Earl Grey Tea 

and Peek Frean Biscuits

sipped and nibbled  

at the afterschool kitchen table

when the cozy world  

drifted in dreamy wafts of 

bergamot orange

punctuated with mcintosh seeds 

and raisins and cookie crumbs

that dotted  

the thin blue lines of foolscap 

and skipped amongst lead pencils

waiting
for the words - to come

notes:  An essence extracted from the skin of Bergamot Oranges is used to flavor Earl Grey Tea and is often used in marmalade.  

 

The Peek, Frean Biscuit Company was established in 1857 in London by James Peek and George Hender Frean.

The McIntosh Apple (also known as the Mac) was discovered by John McIntosh in 1811 on his Dundela farm in Upper Canada. His family began selling the fruit in 1835.  It is harvested in late September, at just about the time students settle back into homework.  Apple employee Jef Raskin named the Macintosh line of personal computers (Macs) after it. 

Foolscap paper (or foolscap folio) is lined, legal-size, unpunched paper.   It is called foolscap because, in the 18th century, it had the watermark of a fool's cap on it.  It is 8 ½ by 13 ½ inches (compared to the standard 8 ½ x 11 inches) and was commonly used (at least in Ontario schools) in the fifties and sixties. 

photo:  In the Late Afternoon Glow – W. Bourke

© 2013 Wendy Bourke