Magic Years

Those five magic years From when friendship started To, friendship still intact, Life tracks widened and parted, You off to Manchester In pursuit of your degree Me to a military life And service in Germany. In those five magic years We achieved so much And through passing years Always stayed in touch. We discovered skiffle, had our own band, joys of country music, the lifelong love of Hank, saw Buddy Holly live, met so many of our heroes, Lonnie, Sonny and Brownie, Rambling Jack, chased the same girls, the pleasure from a pint of beer, grew to a stage where we both needed change from days in humdrum office life and chose our different paths. And so those years ended Our common experiences gone But through subsequent life That friendship carried on. I am so sad now dementia Is destroying you, old friend, Understand you don’t want Me to see your tragic end. I think of you so much, Often through a film of tears, Recalling all the joys of Those first five magic years.