The Good Old Days Poem by Tor Magnor Solvang

We look behind with gentle eyes,
At golden days beneath blue skies.
We speak of peace in every hall,
And how the sunlight touched us all.

We say the work was honest play,
That kindness ruled the school each day.
But were those times as bright and clear?
Or do we hide the doubt and fear?

The heavy truths we leave behind,
The sharpest stings, the unkind mind.
We lift the lid and find the gray,
The same old storms of yesterday.

Our hearts are built to shield the soul,
To keep the broken pieces whole.
We dim the past to bear the light,
And hold the day to forget the night.

It is a mercy, soft and deep,
To let the bitter memories sleep.
We paint the story gold and fair,
Because we need the warmth to bear.

A clever trick our spirits play,
To shield the mind from sorrow's sting,
We push the bitter parts away,
To keep the joy that memories bring.

A gentle mask on yesterday,
To help us walk and help us cope,
We cast the darkest things away,
And feed our souls on polished hope.