Eyes Closed Tight

I’ve walked the roads with eyes closed tight On summers days and winters nights Never a car nor a van saw I Just me, the road and the cloudy sky My knees were bare and my face was too Braced to meet what the weather threw At my frail form as it made its way From home to school and back each day Three miles to school my legs would ply Bag on my back tear in my eye From biting wind and driving rain And ill fitting shoes causing me much pain In class at last I start to thaw As the teacher with the chalk did draw The questions on the board of black She’d shout at us if we dared to slack The bell has gone and it’s home time I run out past the village sign Turn right and up the old mill path Which cuts my journey time in half Past fields where corn and barley grew Not yet turning their golden hue But standing now quite strong and tall Hiding the Corncrake, but not her call For years my legs would carry me From breakfast plate to Geography From Latin to the river Bann Then up the hill to home I ran How lucky I was I realise now To see the birds the sheep the cow And share with them the air and rain Such freedom will we ever see again