A Day Remembered Poem by Roy Ballard

Where lady ferns and snakes unfold
and buttercups in glossy gilt
outshine the gorseflower's yellow gold
my spunky youth was freely spilt
and there our lusty lungs were filled
with philtres from the lake distilled,
that day;
when came that way and nothing loath,
a boy and girl, two virgins both.

Sang all that day the loud cuckoo,
the nosy neighbour's chief of spies,
but all the world was wooing too
and had no time for prying eyes;
for all had better things to do
than listen to the fool cuckoo.
My oath,
they did come both, both girl and boy
and nothing loath nor were they coy.

Though love is ever prone to stray,
not bothering to tell us why,
we cannot love like yesterday
and cannot gain from love passed by.
Yet love's no fly with painted wings,
a prey to any bird that sings,
nor toy,
nor wanton joy but boy! Oh! Boy!
We came that day and were not coy.

The lovely, long-remembered day
dies with a poppy-coloured sun
‘We'll not forget' the lovers say
‘and never, never will be done'
but time untwists the lovers' knot
and beckons to a loamy spot
them both
nor are they loath for time has run
and time must end what love's begun.