Poem 87 – Here’s to Times Gone By

Here’s to times gone by,
Pressed in a picture frame’s glass,
Pictures of my old friends smiling when the sun shone,
People who I once knew who are now forever gone.
Faces that in my heart I know are passed,
And memories of happiness.

That picture of her in the bar, leaning with her drink,
The snap of my family abroad.
The winter’s cold as the snowmen melted,
My friends together – they strike a chord,
For all the time that has passed is here to see.

Remember times gone by, what we all thought we knew,
When she didn’t know I’d ever say to her “I love you”,
Or that the things we loved would pass so soon.
We said friendship was eternal by the riverside,
But haven’t spoken for years, so come hither,
And share in my fond cry –
Here’s to times gone by.

***

Dear readers,

I was amazed to find that I had not previously published this, but it turns out that I had not, despite writing it last September. The slightly bitter toast at the end reminds me vaguely of ‘Let’s Toast to Anguish’, but it’s not intentional. It seems strange to read things I wrote quite so long ago – these months have been filled with incident. I hope you enjoy the poem – what are your fond memories?

Kind regards,

The Hapless Neo-Romantic