Heathfield and a Double Decker Bus

The simple things in life are free
at least is how it used to be
but life today has changed its way
and things are now different how we play

In days of old for most folk
they lived they died and in between
they worked and loved and struggled on
just so they could play their song
nothing special did they expect
and usually that is how
and if blessed with luck they did thrive
it was only to keep them all alive.

The simple things in life to them
were family, friends a decent job
a living wage so they could feed
their families who had the need
of sustenance and shelter too
and a pint on weekends with their mates
and maybe watch their favorite team
play the game and provide the need
of relaxation for just one day
before come Monday and back to work
and repeat the cycle over again.

There were no electronic things
beyond the radio and it too
worked on valves to bring its sound
to the family gathered around
listening to their regular shows
and imagining the wonders of how it must be
with the sounds from the BBC.

I have been lucky enough to be
a part of that society
for when I was young that is all we had
and books their stories to add
to that wondrous thing our brains would see
from words marked down or sounds all around
and if outside we could be
either in the garden or for a walk
close to nature we would find
peace and harmony of a different kind.

Heathfield, Sussex

If by chance we had to be
in some other place that day
outside of our usual territory
we walked or rode our bikes
and if it was too far to hike
we caught the bus and paid a fee
to get to where we wanted to be.

Things today are different now
knowledge is spread further around
regular guys like you and me
drive cars to get where we want to be
electronic gadgets all abound
information is free for all to see
with phones and computers and TV‘s too
and we must not forget
this thing called the internet
where messages flash from place to place
travelling at a remarkable pace

With all of these modern things
life is no longer a simple place
instead we have no time to breath
as we hustle and bustle in our quest
to feed out families and lead our life
just like we  did fifty years ago
except we now do it at breakneck speed
with no time to relax as it was before
for fear of missing out on our chance
to be a part of the big dance,

A part of me often does wish
that simple again our lives could be
except it is so hard to see
that simple as a word describes
images of things from long ago
life was simple way back when
you lived you died and life was gone
and sometimes in between that song
sons and daughters came along
to further complicate the plot
but things were still simple then
as life for them would still go on