Grannies were stern

And grey and old

Made sure you did

As you were told.

Mams in my day were

Round and jolly and fat

Wore nunty frocks

With big pins in their hats

And for most of them

Motherhood was a career

As they slaved for the family

Year after year after year.

It seemed to me

They worked so hard

With little recognition

Or any real reward 

Except knowing that

The flowers of their heart

Pete, Jane, Johnny,  Jack

Had the best possible start.

Life has changed; now

Mothers are pretty and thin,

Kids have latchkeys

To let themselves in 

And maybe things are

Better in this modern life

Where they need the income

Of both husband and wife.

The Kids are in nursery,

Spend so much time there

But is it really a substitute

For a jolly fat mother's care:

But I suppose, thanks to

That cursed mobile phone

Solitude is a thing of the past

Kids now being seldom alone.

Kids these days

Very seldom roam, 

Computers and things

To keep them home;

We had acres and acres

Of fields to play

And a mam’s hot meal

At the end of the day.

I loved my jolly mam with

Nunty frocks and funny hat

And count myself lucky to

Have had a mam like that

She gave me love

She gave me care

But best of all

She was always there.

And I miss my grannies,

Only there for a little while.

They both gave stern love and 

Always rewarded with a smile.