Yesteryear Poem by Royston Allen

My early days at nursery school
running around and playing the fool.
Getting meningitis and almost dying
and then waking up in the hospital crying.

Eating oranges with ice cream as well
and scrumping for apples down in the dell.
Playing 'knock down ginger' on the door
building camps in the park and so much more.

12 inch records on the radiogram playing
TV's with black and white films displaying.
Skinny dipping and giving the girls a fright
then sleeping on the river island overnight.

Being sacrificed on the rocks at Stonehenge
then chasing my friend to get my revenge.
Playing cowboys and Indians behind hedgerows
and going to Saturday morning picture shows.

Rag and bone men walking down the road
and the muffin man carrying his tasty load.
Crazy dancing to 'Rock around the clock'
and then playing 'Tellstar' on the juke box.

Sputnik flying around in space so fast
and seeing a man land on the moon at last.
Playing the transistor radio in the park
and listening to pirate stations was a lark.

Ban the bomb marches and Teddy boy rowsers
in their psychedelic socks and drainpipe trousers.
A great knuckle duster and flick knife fight
and the giant street fires on Bonfire night.

A bunch of penny bangers and a jumping jack
and the amnesty when we sent our weapons back.
Then spending a sleepless night in a police cell
with all these memories and many more to tell.