I Come From A Land On The Humber Poem by Nicola Kelly

I come from a land on the Humber
by Nickynoo

I come from a land on the Humber,
Where many a proud men have stood,
On the docks waiting for their ship,
Sea bound for their next fishing trip.

Community sustained by men of the sea,
Wives at home with mouths to feed,
In the North Sea they did sail,
Bringing home their quota without fail..

That was then and it's different now,
When fish were in their abundance,
As they were caught in their prime,
To replenish themselves not given time.

As an industry went into decline,
So did the City of Hull,
The smell of redundancy in the air,
As the Old Albert Dock stood bare.

As one door closes another did open,
Husbands and fathers still working away,
In the gas and oil industry,
Six months for some away from family.

Mothers assumed the role of both parents,
Keeping the family together at home,
Fathers missing loved ones provided financially,
Unable to support  them emotionally.

Dad working away year on year,
Signalled the breakup of my parents,
His infidelity played a big part,
Which broke my mothers heart.

My last memory of him was,
Holding his hand tight as he took,
My brother and I shopping that day,
A goodbye present for my 13th birthday

That was then I'm grown up now,
Living in the City I was born,
Proud daughter of a wonderful mother,
I come from a land on the Humber