Clockwork Soldier

Little clockwork soldier was a thing of the past
Made in the 70s, wasn\'t meant to last

He wore a blue uniform
Drawn with ugly ammos and bomb

A Buckingham-soldier\'s over-sized hat
Fingerless hands made just like that

He had an ugly grin that was stuck-on instead
That didn\'t look nice with his over-sized head

His key was stuck inside him - the head slightly chipped
Once he had hit the rocks on a nearby creek

His spring\'s all rusted and lifeless indeed
There\'s even fragmented remains of a dried weed

He sat in the shop for broken toys shelf of 72 Ashdown Lane
Owned by the kindly old Man Krane\'

It was a slow morning in midsummer
When Krane opened his shop

As usual not many customers
Or so he thought

Suddenly his bell rang and a jolly face appear
Why it\'s Dame Jenkins! What a pleasant surprise!

\"Good day Mr Krane. I see you are here
Still looking young and wise?\"

\"Oh Dame Jenkins please do sit.
I\'ve been rather unwell for quite abit\"

\"Oh dear. Please take good care of yourself
Do remember that you are now eighty-seven. No longer twelve!\"

Krane grinned and quipped, \"And so what can I do you for?
It\'s rare to even have someone come through that door\"

\"Oh,\" replied Jenkins. \"I am seeking a gift for my grandson.
This sunday he\'s turning one\"

\"Hmm,\" pondered Jenkins, with a wrinkled frown.
Scouring his shop for a plane or a clown.

Just then his eyes caught hold on the clockwork soldier.
Looking proud despite collecting dust in the corner.

"How about this clockwork soldier that's a real antique?
Give me a day and I'll fix him real quick!"

Dame Jenkins tried straining with her already poor eyesight.
Couldn't really make out what that was.

"Splendid!" She exclaimed and turned to the door on her right.
"I'll be back tomorrow morning, " and left without a pause

Old Man Krane worked hard that day
Giving little clockwork soldier a 'makeover' - as they say

He painted the soldier a new coat of red
Varnished when done so that he colour wouldn't fade.

He fixed the spring and shaped the key.
Little clockwork soldier only wondered - what's happening to me?

Krane touched up whatever he could
Even giving stickered fingers and new boots

Satisfied he went to sleep that night
Only rising upon the break of light

Dame Jenkins came slightly after tea
"Ah Mr Krane. Do you remember me?"

"Of course I would Dame Jenkins.
And I've done my thing."

"Little clockwork soldier looks perfect.
Just look at him!"

Dame Jenkins smiled but just because she was nice
She hadn't told Krane about her failing eyes.

"How much that would be? One pound and eighty pence?
Why that's a good deal! I'll take it for Little Spence!"

So little clockwork soldier soon found himself moving
He had overhead the conversation and found it delighting.

Finally he was to have a family of his own
Never thought this day would come ever since out he was thrown

Jenkins arrived home but not without a few stopovers.
She had to get coldcuts and cheese and pay for the cow's fodders.

She opened the door and went up the stairs
Strangely enough the house seemed bare.

"John! Trisha! I'm here! Where are you?"
But the thing was she really didn't have a clue

She found most of the furniture gone except for the phone and refridgerator
Even Spencer's cot was empty and she felt the chill of fear.

Jenkins went to the phone and pressed the playback button
John's voice came on sounding really disheartened.

"Ma, this is John here. I'm sorry.." he croaked
Pausing a while and taking a deep breath

"Trish and I have totally gone broke.
We took Spence and have already left"

"We left the house for you to live...
We're sorry mom...we really are"

But Jenkins didn't hear the remaining words of John
Her family had disowned her and they were gone

She cried that night going on and on
Her heart eventually broke just before dawn

Little clockwork soldier had crawled out of the paperbag
He stood by Jenkins cold body, feeling very sad

And so he was left alone for many days, feeling very down
Until finally a neighbour reported a putrid smell - was the body found

The property was sold to the government while the furniture given away
Little clockwork soldier was deemed too old to stay

Thus he was thrown into the local junkyard
Where he remains amongst litter, soon to be torn apart...