Bygone Winters

Bygone Winters

Not too long now before the winter
When our central heating will go on
Electric and gas fires are turned up
So good to have that option

But yet a few decades ago
When as children, we climbed out of bed
The windows were iced on the inside
And fingers and toes they throbbed

All the pipes were frozen
No water to even brush teeth
Wellington boots were worn to go out
But by heck, they did give you grief.

The rubber would chafe, top of your legs
And they were cold to wear
Gloves needed when you went out
It was better than hands being bare.

Trudging through snow to get to school
No one ever went by car
So wet and cold went we arrived
Yet the school was not that far.

It was freezing and the middle of winter
But we still played in the street
On roads, that we used for sliding
But of course we got wet feet

For we enjoyed the snow
But the slush was such a pain
If you fell you got wet through
And you had to go home and explain.

Oh! Those winters of so long ago
Have now passed all of us by
If youngsters, these days, lived like that
There would be such a hue and cry.