Dear Mother

From within the fern fringes of the patterned wallpaper,
Alice appeared when "Three Blind Mice" heralded
the arrival of Mr Chilli, the ice cream van.

Dear Mother emptied her purse,
pressed coins into Alice's palm
leaving an impression on the soft brain,
with a simple command for ice cream.

On a street corner the van was parked.
Jumping bean kids were at it's side,
small arms reaching up to grasp the cones,
anticipating the joy of wrapping
their tongues around the icy sweetness.

Alice seemed transfixed by her red leather shoes,
not wanting to lift her eyes from the ground,
for fear of a stone embedding in her sole.
all the kids had gone away, it was now her turn to pay.

Disturbed by Mr Chilli's melting chocolate eyes,
appealing them to understand her encrypted words,
that tumbled, all jumbled in her head.
There was nothing to do but walk away,
and anticipate what dear mother might say.