The child inside
by cricketjeff on April 29, 2009. © Jeff Green, All rights reserved
His memories were worth just half a crown
A silver coin his fingers had worn flat
That night the summer fair had come to town
But mother hadn’t given time for that
The gallopers called louder than the keys
Their happy tune was calling on the breeze
Too soon his pocket money disappeared
And now his pension trickles out the same
But when he holds that coin his vision’s cleared
And Jimmy not James Johnstone is his name
Inside his head he paints an old tableau
He’d swear he sees himself from long ago
By now it’s just a worn out silver disc
And wouldn’t buy a single practice scale
The funfair had been worth a little risk
A slipper maybe, not a trip to jail
He smiles inside remembering the day
And all the other mem’ries tucked away
Though times grew hard he’d never had to spend
The coin that should have paid his teacher’s time
Reminded him of every childhood friend
And made him blush remembering his crime
When he sits down to play he’s sat beside
The boy he used to be, who lives inside
Piano lessons, Tuesdays after school
Then Army days and playing for a song
His buddies there to act the giddy fool
At last the whole platoon would sing along
And all the time that silver half a crown
To mend his smile whenever he was down
Before she died he told his Mum the tale
She laughed and said the teacher told on him
The fair had been more fun that Miss McHale
His Mother’s eyes said she agreed with Jim
For half a crown he bought a perfect day
There’s many ways that you can learn to play
Author notes
Venus and Adonis stanzas (Shakespearean sixains)
I may replace with something totally different …
English