Those five magic years
From when friendship started
To, friendship still intact,
Life tracks widened and parted,
You off to Manchester
In pursuit of your degree
Me to a military life
And service in Germany.
In those five magic years
We achieved so much
And through passing years
Always stayed in touch.
We discovered skiffle, had our own band, joys of country music, the lifelong love of Hank, saw Buddy Holly live, met so many of our heroes, Lonnie, Sonny and Brownie, Rambling Jack, chased the same girls, the pleasure from a pint of beer, grew to a stage where we both needed change from days in humdrum office life and chose our different paths.
And so those years ended
Our common experiences gone
But through subsequent life
That friendship carried on.
I am so sad now dementia
Is destroying you, old friend,
Understand you don't want
Me to see your tragic end.
I think of you so much,
Often through a film of tears,
Recalling all the joys of
Those first five magic years.
