Before Lights Out

Photo by Seth Doyle on Unsplash

Our Lipton-scorched tongues told no lies

When we sang those early morning hymns.

This was before seven hours of

Dozing, learning, reciting and

Staring out of windows wondering where

The dirt-covered road lead.
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Laundry, comic book art and name-calling

Followed hurried lunches.

Those soiled roll-on deodorant balls

We smacked around with our new sandals,

Made good tennis games better.

We would compete or cheer in the

Occasional grappling and quarrelling

Over which superhero was strongest.
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As evening arrived and skies cooled,

A good shower or contraband perfume

Masked our uncultured selves

When we greeted pretty counterparts for night school.
\

Up to mischief after dark,

We plotted forest raids

For the one-legged baby faced spirit

From senior boys’ stories.

Stories their seniors told them.
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Forging weapons from incomplete math sets

And traps from broken buckets and mop sticks

We swore to never return after exams.

Yet we rushed to arrive first each resumption day.
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This was before deepening voices

And patchy beards

And jumping trousers

And shrinking shoes

Hinted the end of those golden days.

Originally written on December 21st 2019, this is an excerpt from my unpublished collection of poems — Poetry is Therapy.