Monday 4 January 2010

Those days

When I'm ninety,
skin wrinkled, wise eyes,
glasses perched like windows
on a cottage that improves
with age,
weathered and worn,
I'll remember those days.

Days when I was five,
I'd run miles from
the neighbours' dog,
teeth bared and barked
behind shabby gate.
Lungs full, I'd skip
over pavement cracks
and bottomless puddles
from the afternoon rain
that I never saw.
It never rained in those days.

Days when I was six,
happiness played
in the bee-filled garden,
auburn hair merging
with blades of green grass,
dandelions and daisies.
I'd stare into sky blue
spotting faces
and shapes the clouds made,
trying to figure out if the sky
was moving or if it was me.
It was always me in those days.

Days when I was seven,
I'd play music through
headphones bigger than my head,
pretend I was the star;
Ken and Barbie were my fans.
Without care who saw,
I'd dance around the house,
the street and shops,
wearing Wellies, a dress
and a Freddie Krueger face mask.
I'd never do that these days.

18 comments:

  1. Very nice. I really like the last line.

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  2. Gorgeous. Love the 'trying to figure out if the sky was moving or if it was me' line - I used to do that.

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  3. Lovely, Lou. And while you wouldn't do that these days, think of when you're old. You shall wear a purple hat and dance in a kruger mask if you wish! My mother always says, the older you get the bolder you get. Look forward to delinquent old age!

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  4. That's lovely! It's like the circle of life in some ways... :)

    Happy New Year!!

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  5. 'Start wearing purple' eh? Lovely.

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  6. i love that hair with grass and dandelion line. it shows a little girl so vividly. we still have one day a year to dress whatever we want - thank god.

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  7. This is lovely. I miss being able to play carefree too, I couldn't start dancing around the house, singing now =[

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  8. What a wonderful poem...age does bring a wonderful sense of freedom.

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  9. Thanks for all the great comments everyone!

    I'm pleased people can relate to it- exactly what i was going for.

    Cheers. :)

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  10. Very nice. Kind of bittersweet. We all need to take a trip back in time like that...puts things into perspective - enjoy the little things. This is a good read.

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  11. Angie- It is bittersweet but i guess so is growing up. When you're a kid, you want to be an adult and when you're an adult, you want to shake all the responsibility and be a kid again. Definately bittersweet. Thanks for the comment!

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  12. Hi Lou, many thanks for visiting me over at Pen And Paper, it was nice to meet you. A wonderful poem, I'm sure most people will see at least some of their childhood in the words. Myself? A lot seemed familiar but none more so than the bee-filled garden, aah happy days.

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  13. nominated you for the 2010 weblog award.

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  14. Petty: Thanks for visiting me too! And thanks for the great positive comments.

    Sarah: Wow- thanks so much for the nomination. I'm touched, really. :)

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  15. It seams to be a very mature but at the same time very lovely poem. You appear to be a pretty experienced poet:). Well done:).

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  16. Infinite_flower: Thanks for your kind words. I wouldn't say i'm an experienced poet- certainly, i've been writing poetry since i was 9 years old but that doesn't make me experienced. Perhaps a fool to still be at it?! hehe :)

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  17. I love the imagery. You're poetry is wonderful to read and I hope you continue to post!

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