the thin wire fence beside 

the track would bristle and

sing long before a train 

came into view and through 

the billowing tumult of steam

I learned about the geography 

of the commonwealth,

 

engines with evocative names 

that required an atlas to find, 

my first introduction to foreign 

travel albeit in my mind’s eye,

Sarawak to Saskatchewan

Palestine to Punjab, my young 

imagination on fire as I ‘copped’ 

a new place name every day,

 

history lessons too, served

up by the armies that marched 

by whistling under our bridge 

regiment by regiment 

The Green Howards, The Welch, 

and my very own battallion the

Sherwood Foresters and

home county warriors the

Northamptonshire Regiment,

 

historical figures also thundered

through my summer days,

John of Gaunt, Owen Glendower

Hereward the Wake each one

eager to tell me their story,

 

those times all sadly long gone,

timeless hours, endless days

being taught without teachers 

learning without boundaries

my best ever days, a boys’ own

 

© Graham R Sherwood 03/25