7th May Down the street where I lived

 

7^th May   Down the street where I lived

 

This was called Marconi’s when I was young.

I tried to learn to ride my bike

Along that bank of grass, just there,

But it is no more.

Nor is the dell where we ran

Around and around.

And the tennis courts and wide open field

Where we endlessly kicked a ball

None of it there, none at all.

 

This was Sweetman’s cut.

We called him Wally. That wasn’t his name.

That one’s Archer’s

I didn’t know him.

The first girl I ever kissed lived there

Or was it there?

My mate Ian Elfleet

Lived in Police houses there;

They’re gone.

 

This was Porrat’s

An avenue of chestnut trees

And a big mansion house

Broken and fallen down.

Surrounded by an estate of trees and wildness land

It’s now an estate of 1960’s bland.

 

This shop was Millie’s;

I once run down the road

To buy 10 Weights or Senior Service

For my Mum when I was only 10

During the Dr Who adverts then.

That shop was a greengrocers,

That a chemist;

I had my hair cut there

With hand clippers

I didn’t like the electric ones

cos they pulled my hair out.

 

Mum worked at Parsons on a capstan lathe.

We went to Kingsleys sweet shop every day.

Here’s the Kings Head pub where we went

Or was. It’s houses now.

The Golden Lion’s closed, The White Lion too and, the Bull.

My High Street memory so full.

 

Walking down the street of my childhood

I can’t stop remembering

Or talking

Of such a joy.

London Colney when I was a boy.