The Airston Wool Shop Poem by ANDREW BLAKEMORE

Old Airstons was a friendly place
Where with my mother I would go,
When but a child it stood upon
The busy Anchor Road,
Mrs Airston wore a smile
So pleased was she to welcome you,
Such happy times so long ago
When days were all our own.

So clearly I remember then
The rows and rows of woolen balls,
With every colour there before
Stacked neatly on the shelves,
With ribbon tags the ties and pins
Elasticated cords and bands,
The fabrics, bindings, beads and lace
With zips and sequins too.

The buttons all sewn neatly on
The cards that hung upon the stand,
That stood beside the counter there
That you could spin around,
With knitting needles large and small
And those assorted trays that held,
The cotton, twine and silken thread
They kept upon display.

It seems like only yesterday
But many years have passed between,
My memories though come flooding back
Each time that I go by,
I think back to those childhood days
With fondness but they can't return,
The village changed so greatly yet
That shop still looks the same.