Childhood Memories Poem by John A'Hern

Teenage dreams of going places
Pocket money few and far traces.
A job delivering morning papers
The newspaper and magazine shop a browsing caper.

Early morning start at 4.30 for some quite a chore
Mornings were always darkness, that was for sure.
The child enjoyed the quiet of the walk to the paper shop
Smells in newspaper shop, memories he would not swap.

Bag of newspapers upon shoulder
Placing newspapers into the letterbox holder.
No morning news TV, the newspaper was the form of knowledge,
Back at the shop at 6.30am and return bag for storage.

Payday each Friday morning made it all worthwhile
Always share earnings with Mother, the rest your own to spend.
Spent on food, biscuits and cakes
Digestive biscuits washed down with fresh milk.

This readied for the day at School, which always lay there beckoning,
The walk to School filled with daydreams of what the day may bring.
Double session of Arithmetic, better to run away
School day started at 9 am after busy morning fray.

A challenge as tired eyes would start to close
Eyes must have closed surely, they have dozed.
Rows of seats were very important as you found out in later life
Smart ones were down the front with the rest behind.

Teachers passing on knowledge using skills
Scribbling with chalk on the monster blackboard.
Was it for the Teacher's benefit to show all how to do it?
A hand-held bell would ring a signal the end of today's lessons.

The Teachers breathed a sigh of relief as the classrooms emptied
Back home and off to bed early another morning awaits at 4.30.
Memories of Teachers are still fresh within each one's head
Their surnames along with nicknames too many here to mention.

Called aside on day of leaving, Teachers did their best to explain,
Never spoken as one on one Teacher and pupil.
Remember them all with good thoughts,
Now a question always pondered
Later in life ideas have changed
The child or the Teachers who failed to explain?