I remember

I REMEMBER

I remember, I remember,
Silver paper on chocolate bars,
Bus conductors with ticket machines,
Starting handles on motor cars.

I remember, I remember,
Taking empty bottles back,
Liberty bodices and cod liver oil,
The gabardine and the pac-a-mac.

I remember, I remember,
Gas lamps on the street,
Visits by the rent man,
The bobby on the beat.

I remember, I remember,
The teacher with a cane,
Seaside trips to Skeggy,
Aboard a long steam train.

I remember, I remember,
Milk time at school,
Torchy the battery boy,
And Muffin the mule.

I remember, I remember,
Snobs and skimming cards,
Sherbet dabs and lucky bags,
Feet and inches and yards.

I remember, I remember,
Housewives Choice and What’s My Line,
Aniseed balls and gob stoppers,
Being in bed by nine.

I remember, I remember,
Meccano sets and dinky toys,
Dandy, Beezer and Topper,
Playing football with other boys.

I remember, I remember,
Sunny Stories and Playhour,
Simple games we used to play,
Like building a dominoes tower.

I remember, I remember,
Happy days now past,
When I was young and carefree,
What a shame they couldn’t last.