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by Benny
I remember the summer of '59
I was growing up
And the task was mine
The melting tar
Dads Light blue car
My carefree days in Inchicore
Swapping comics at the door
Sam Maguire gone back to Kerry
The butterflies inside my belly
De Valera has gone to the Park
I'm up in bed lying in the dark
It's back to school, it came so fast
I hoped the happy days would last
Up first at seven, to be sure
Delivered morning papers
to the sisters of the poor
Into class for half pass nine
My mother told me I'd be fine
An altar boy I served 10 Mass
Helped to get me out of class
Collecting briquettes with a gig
Sitting at the fire so big
Chestnuts hardening on the grate
Have to beat a conker eighth
Evening getting short and cold
How would winter time unfold?
Christmas still too far away
Stayed out of trouble everyday
Wished for something in between
Then I remembered "Halloween"
Blackened faces fruit and nuts
Bonfires, bangers, barking mutts
Calling "Binky ", that's our dog
Trying to find him in the smog
Next day we prayed for the purgatory Souls
It always seemed sad, wet and cold
A fry on Sunday after Mass
Cooked my mother on the gas
Dad said it was only right
As we'd all been fasting over night
Mad Jack, Little Harry and Johnny May
All part of life and of our day
The tree lit up, and Mam's made the Jelly
Our last Christmas without a Telly
Bless me father for I have sinned
Took an eel out of the canal and had it skinned
Memories: I remember them
Don't forget I was only ten
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