Back in the days of jeans and bandana’s
I would tip toe along the old stone brick walls
taking a swing on the old iron gate
into the old tennis-racket shaped road.
We were the children of the River Bourne
playing happily above our ancient wood
cycling in circles around our bubble
waiting to venture down the unknown path.
We created chalk worlds on the grey pavement
where our art reflected our village life
of summer carnivals and bonfire nights
bringing this circle into another vibe.
I remember standing outside my home
eighteen years of me imprinted in those bricks
echoes of laughter bound through the parish
as I waltzed into the woods, goodbye.
The 90s children have all grown and gone
new pedals and canine friends take their place
but the brown robins are still all twittering
like the old ladies down by station house.
The road I grew up on belongs elsewhere
in a time of jeans and bad bandana’s
when dancing to ‘Under the Sea’ was cool
and dinner was hot curry sauce on chips.
Inspired by Pooky’s Poems where today’s challenge involved writing a poem to the rhythm of a song you enjoy. I chose Des’ree ‘You Gotta Be’ because this song has been stuck in my head since the first day I heard it back in 1994; when I was a nine year old English village girl getting up to mischief in her ‘Little Mermaid’ roller-skates. I kept the chorus because I feel as though it’s always been my life lesson.
This is who you are today
brown eyes on a summer day
stepping our from behind Grandpa’s knee
Your friends, they will grow with you
fly with you to Timbuktu
live, laugh, dance, this planet
young birds flying free.
You gotta be…
You gotta be bad, You gotta be bold, You gotta be wiser
You gotta be hard, You gotta be tough, You gotta be stronger
You gotta be cool, You gotta be calm, You gotta together
All I know, All I know, love with save the day.
Listen to want Des’ree said
seal the words inside your head
cherish every chapter cherish every line
some will teach you how to be
but all you need is family
my oh my, yea, eh eh
You gotta be bad, You gotta be bold, You gotta be wiser
You gotta be hard, You gotta be tough, You gotta be stronger
You gotta be cool, You gotta be calm, You gotta together
All I know, All I know, love with save the day.
I know you’re only nine, but life is beginning
story’s start – moments of time and space
the years keep on turning
they won’t stop; they will find you
one day you will wake up to another face
whoa-oh-oh
You gotta be bad, You gotta be bold, You gotta be wiser
You gotta be hard, You gotta be tough, You gotta be stronger
You gotta be cool, You gotta be calm, You gotta together
Todays prompt was inspired by my other interest in researching my family history. The journey took me and my dad to the New Forest where we found the church my great great great grandparents were married (and presumably) buried in. I remember sitting in the churchyard thinking about what I would say to them if I could…
Todays entry was inspired by yesterday (23rd April) being St. Georges Day in my beautiful home country of England. As much as I love my new digs in Australia (been here 10 years now) England will always have a special place in my heart…
B By and by, I’ll be home in those woodlands
R remembering myself in yesterday’s
E earldoms, skipping along the ruins – gran
A alway there, with her sea candy in May.
T too many tales and stories to relive
H happy, we were kites floating in the sky.
E every memory and moment was a gift
E Etched in my soul; eternal in my eyes.
N now I’ve departed my darling island
G grateful I am to be a part of her
L long may she breath through my feet and my hands
Charlie Ann Alford 
You must be logged in to post a comment.