NEWTS THAT I HAD WHEN A LAD

Blue-fingered mornings and bright church bazaars

Notebooks for logging the numbers of cars

Girls in their gymslips

Mouthfuls of gum

Ink on my shirtcuff

Ink on my thumb

Checking the stamps when the weather was bad

Remembering newts that I had when a lad.

Brand-new protractors from Kays in The Mall

Afternoon fag-cards in cloakroom with pal

Slipperbags dangling

Down from a string

Jamboree bags

That you felt for the ring

All of those magical times that we had

Remembering newts that I had when a lad.

Cream-coloured corridors

Green-coloured classroom doors

Chalk-squeaks and dusters

Beanos and Busters

Conkers and marbles and firestones and fights

Remembering newts that escaped in the nights.

Aaaaaah …