Foreknowledge?

     Mum must have had some insight,

T'my eventual career choice,

'Twas me she did encourage

To 'help' around the house.

     The youngest of six siblings

New-born - fifteen years

And only male folk did survive

Sure there were many tears.

       No Tumble Dryers back then,

My mother had the knack,

The old fashioned hand wringer

With shirts ironed, front and back.

        Whene'er she  did the ironing,

In our home, seven males 

Quite a lot of shirts there,

She ironed, top to tails.

      Then they were all a-folded

As when they were just bought,

No draping on a hanger,

I followed,  as was taught.

      Whene'er she was exhausted,

Her tired old legs to rest,

"Colin, can you take over? "

I always did my best.

      She never asked the others,

Perhaps I'd voluteered

At one time, when was younger,

Or p'haps, how I was reared.

      To help whene'er 'twas needed 

To do what needed done,

Or MAYBE,  all the others

Were outside having fun.

      So seems she was a-training,

My "gift of 'helps" saw she?

Long before I'd seen it,

A-coming out in me.