1
I drifted awake in the Hills of my mind
To the clinking of glasses and sparkling sunshine
I heard squeaks in hallways your polished shoes walking
To “we’re going somewhere!” your voices all talking
Carefree excitement, then the slam of a door
The echoing silence, sunbeams on a floor
Dust floats in rays, recess comes around
After the milk, we go play on the ground
2
At fifty-five, with a life that’s been fair
Between drifting and dreaming & the clear morning air
Whence it came I know not, but transfixed as I lay
On memories, of feelings, and a fond yesterday
I sighed, misty eyed, my heart flowed with feeling
The thoughts of those school days filled with much meaning
To my parents for family, to my teachers for school
To Jesus of Nazareth for the world’s Golden Rule
3
I dashed out of bed to secure pen and some paper
The calls of my wife and child hushed for much later
To write down these words, for the things they evoke
To pen them down ‘ere they go up in smoke
Of old walls and echoing halls, of mates from afar
The classrooms, the lab work for Mr Jim Darr
Exeats, sales day, Hendry’s flying fox
It could have all ended with Boss in a box
4
To all you who taught me to write in life’s rhyme
Oh mutton chop, Williams, my fortunes are thine
The Stewarts, the Murrays, the Johnstons, and friends
The Martins’, Miss Digby, miss Cann, the Mannens’
So many, so much, I can’t name you all
You came; you committed, to live out your call
The ”Thank you” I awoke to, ere lest I condone
Before the last bells toll, for the call to go home
5
Study hall rows, and varnish on books
Gullison on duty, her legs and her looks
All knowledge on paper, the hum of young minds
The turning of pages, some chairs on incline
The cooking of breakfast, of pots being stacked
The aroma of omelettes, fresh bread on the racks
Pianos that tinkle, a trumpet’s clear call
Violins and cellos, all in the great hall
6
The trill of the school bell, an explosion of sound
Chairs scrape, skirts swish, and coats flap around
To the serious business of breakfast we ran
The prefects a-busy to a grand master plan
Girls’ dorms, bath days, regattas of sorts
In the quadrangle drains, with little pine yachts
Laid streaks in the bubbly waters that flowed
Those above, oblivious to the excitement below
7
The bounce of a football and calls all around
Goals being shot and the rain on the ground
Puddles on concrete, the skates distinct sound
Splashing wet tracks through them as we went around
The sloped, rutted road to the west of the field
Epics we played for the sake of a shield
Majestic treetops, woods following the slope
To Rose and Wood Bank and cottages called Hope
8
And if on a moon night, you happened to see
From the edge of the pool flat, the snows, Kpg
Far scatterings of home lights on quilts of blue night
A shiver, the stars, a night bird in flight
The glimmer of white of the Rungieet and all
And somewhere the brain fever bird’s haunting call
Of life, of love, of the stars we did wonder
The reverie, and hark, was that distant thunder?
9
The cold’s gone, hear now the first cuckoos of spring
A time we celebrate and do wondrous things
Rain splashing on glass, gumboots and socks
The heavy dampness of girls’ dark blue frocks
Then cicadas calling the summer to end
With autumn awaiting from just round the bend
The falling of leaves and days darker now
Life just more ominous, more serious, somehow
10
Cold air, exams, wood smoke on the ground
Crisp grass, hushed voices, gloves all around
Tin boxes, name writing, locks and key chains
Out with the old books and irrelevant pains
Packing with gusto, full focus on hols
Back to our parents, the cycles, the dolls
Knowing full well that the school would be there
For us next year, cleaned, painted, and fair
11
To school parties to Burma, to Thailand and all
Far away places from whence my friends call
My last year midst this mad Jubilee
Waiting for Mummy to come and get me.
I watched my friends leave, the die cast
The school yards now silent, my Jeep's here at last
I remember I once chased a bus to the plains
I drove hard, but made no gains.
Break neck around corners, fast down the straights,
Heart wrenched and teary, the loss of my mates
Bagdogra nearing, from the corner of my eye
Alas I saw your plane lift to the sky
I had to concede then, this was really goodbye.
Mum and I drove slowly, pensively into the Darkening hills.
