The Growing Years
Never knew my Dad when I was a lad,
Never knew what it was like,
to go for a walk, and hold his hand.
My, if I did, that would be grand.
My early years are in the mist of time,
Those times as a lad, covered in grime.
Mum tried her best, this I now know,
But without Dad, it was hard to grow.
I wasn't a wild child, 'cos he wasn't there,
I was just a lad who didn't really care,
I did as I was told, with no talking back,
Just the nice things of life I did lack.
As soon as I could I put that life behind me,
At the tender age of 15 I joined the army.
When asked what I wanted,a decision was made.
I went to Chepstow, where I learned my trade.
What I found made me wonder and stare
People taught me how to live my new life,
It was different,scary, but that was that,
Now was my time to wear a new hat.
I soon knuckled down to this new job,
For once in my life I had a few bob.
I learned how to be clean in myself,
Didn't know much about personal health.
In a room of 20 lads, dirty was wrong,
You had to stay clean for you to belong.
So showers, often, became norm for me,
As a very good soldier I wanted to be.
So much happened during my stay,
Until an accident occurred one day.
I bust my back, there was so much pain,
It didn't compare to being civilian again.
It still doesn't, over 50 years later.
© Dave Timperley. 06/01/2020
Copyright © Dave Timperley | Year Posted 2020
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