When I went to school
Fifty years in the past
I made lots of friends
And our friendship did last

We’d meet in the playground
Then stand in a line
Went in for assembly
At a quarter to nine

After our hymns
With a prayer for the day
We went to our classrooms
With paints in a tray

Some played with sand
Mixing water for slush
Others read books
Noisy ones told to hush

Half way through the morning
Came milk with a straw
A small bottle each
Never less, never more

We all drank it quickly
Too bad if you’re late
The last one to finish
Took empties to crate

Then came the building
With bright coloured blocks
Not always steady
Oh see how it rocks

Pack away time
Formed another long line
We walked to the hall
It was now time to dine

Each took a place
At a thruppeny bit table
Where water was poured
From a jug quite unstable

A big tray of pie
Full of kidney and steak
Sliced up into squares
Only one piece you take

A large spoon of mash
With uncooked chunks of spud
Plus unwanted cabbage
But gravy was good

Puddings were better
The custard was thick
You sometimes got seconds
If you ate up quick

Back to the playground
Full up couldn’t run
But nevertheless
We still all had fun

Then afternoon lessons
More play which was cool
Now fifty years past
When I first went to school


© 2008 David Threadgold
Rambling Riddles