There was a time when
Gold had no guilt
And care lines
Were carved by hope.
There was a time when
A brittle sun added
Tea-dance cadenzas to the day
And lights awed the dark.
There was a time when
Smiles were a stream of moments
And magic drove a fire engine.
There was a time when
Wool-scratch went unnoticed
And a table cloth was more than laundry,
When love was simple
And time was a friend.
RTO