There was bread baking on the hearth
Acker played ‘Stranger On The Shore’
There were all manner of wondrous things
All of them now no more;

I played football in the street
And read books in bed with a torch
Drank fizzy orange from the ‘pop man’
Left muddy wellies in the porch;

Ate my favourite mince and dumplings
Hated cheese and fish
Stuck together bits of model planes
In efforts distinctly amateurish;

Refused to wear glasses
Even though extremely long-sighted
Ran home from school with my report
My progress and shortcomings highlighted;

None of these things I do any more
I have left those lovely times behind
But how I wish I could go back
For one hour to let the past unwind;

Savour once again those boyish moments
Spent with dear Mam and Dad
I could tell them again that I loved them
From the heart of their little lad

Paul Gerard Reed

http://www.poemhunter.com/poem/before-i-grew-up/