My grandfather's contribution to the war effort 
Became  him in 1940.
Too old to shoulder a rifle any more ,
He had fought at the first Battle of Mons in 1914
He was deemed to be of more use to the war effort
By breeding pigs.
Well actually feeding them on for the ministry of food

In 1939 at the outbreak of war
He had bought a large double fronted house
That had once been the Home farm of the district
Two large gardens one of which ran from the street
A full fifty yards to the front door
And was contained spectacularly for a small boy like me
Within the embrace of an avenue of Apple trees
Against one of which I obtained my first kiss from Jennifer
And a considerably prominent, albeit temporary 
Bulge in my trousers.

I digress.
The second garden, if I be permitted to avert your  attention
From the delightful effect of Jennifers kiss
Was a more pragmatic skirt of land that ran at right angles
To the main aspect of the house
And in effect was the kitchen garden

It too bore resemblance to the front garden
In as much that it was fifty yards long  no more nor less  
With a plethora of Blackcurrent and Worcesterberry bushes
That my grandfather tended like a class of children

At the end of the kitchen garden
Was a tract of land fenced off the day my grandfather
Bought the house  
Yet pretty soon afterwards
Was cleared when he found  the deeds of his property included
The annexed quarter acre

In that paddock, for I thought of it as such
Dwelt a flock of feral chickens, an Aylesbury duckling and a pair of Khaki Cambells.

Their home, this poulty gang
Was a set of three derelict pig stys  
Whose Welsh slate roofs had long since caved in
Yet were capable of full restoration
With government funding

In February 1940 on a dark windswept afternoon
The ministry man came with his brief case
'
Mr Chance your property is of interest to us
You have a very unique and important
Under utilised asset namely your derelict
Pig stys'
And he proceeded to list the advantages of
Rearing pigs on behalf of the ministry of food.

Whitehall sweet talk about voluntary war effort
'Clap trap'
For in reality my grandfather had no choice
His land at least the paddock was being
Commandered by the Ministry of food
For the production of food namely bacon.

And in March 1940 with the pig stys renovated
By a grateful Government
My grandfather became a Pig farmer.