Those Faraway Days

Those Faraway Days

Those faraway days of pencil and pen
when kids were frightened of bogeymen,
Things were straightforward when I was young
assemblies where hymns with gusto were sung.
Girls saw the head’s cloak float down the aisle
but boys saw Batman, putting on the style,

Our playgrounds were racetracks or battlefields
places where baddies would cower and yield
to Robin Hood imposters or Ivanhoe’s
William Tell kept them on their toes,
Cooking for girls, gardening for boys
come hometime the corridors filled with noise.

The fun really started after school
if mum had baked you’d sit there and drool
Eating sugar sprinkled over a butty
rushing to go for a game of footy.
The last one out was always in goal
wet laced up caseballs, destroyed your soul

We’d play for ages, no worries for mum
when you got hungry she knew you’d be home,
Fun everywhere, wherever you went
swimming in the cut, sleeping in a tent,
Hopscotch on pavements walls were for games
lamp posts for climbing, the top was our aim.

We’d jump iron railings, or squeeze right through
make bows and arrows from churchyard yew,
I played kiss chase but only ever once
my brother was watching – called me a nonce!
Gave me a smack up the side of my head
made me wish I’d played leapfrog instead,

No-one had watches but we were alright
just had to be home before the twilight
Then, last thing at night when tucked up in bed
Imaginations ran riot inside our head,
Thinking about what tomorrow would bring
Those days of our childhood when freedom was king.