....those days are gone

As children, we paddled in the North Sea;
Played on Longsands beach, built castles in the sand;
Rode on donkeys and fairground attractions;
Ate toffee apples, ice-cream and candy floss.
 
Those were the days, the days we still remember,
School holidays from July till September
In the sunshine life was so much fun then
But that was then - now those days have gone.
 
Years flashed by, too soon we were teenagers -
In the ways of love experimenting -
Went to discos, parties and school dances:
Wore weird hair-do’s, T-shirts and patched-up jeans.
 
Those were the days, the days we still remember,
School holidays from July till September
In the sunshine life was so much fun then
But that was then - now those days have gone.
 
We married – the house took all our money;
Worked all hours to pay the monthly bills.
Things got better – when we had cash to spare
We decided to start a family.
 
Those were the days, the days we still remember,
School holidays from July till September
In the sunshine life was so much fun then
But that was then - now those days have gone.
 
Our children, now paddle with their children;
Play on Longsands beach, build castles in the sand;
Now no donkeys and fairground attractions;
Just toffee apples, ice-cream and candy floss.
 
These are the days, the days they will remember,
School holidays from July till September
In the sunshine life was so much fun then
But that was then – now those days have gone.
 
 
@ Rowland Paul Hill 2 July 2017