Just been for our daily constitutional
My old mate and me
We walked along the St Bees road to Kell Head, then
We didn't carry on down to the sea

Because we are no longer eight and ten.
Old Father Time has seen to that
Now we're getting on a bit
The hills are no longer flat.

Back then we'd easily walk all the way
To St Bees to play all day by the sea
But we were both young and very fit
My old mate and me.

Then time raced by us so quickly
We never saw it pass,
And now the sands of time are low
In the top of the hour glass.

We walk along the same country lane
The icy North wind stings our cheeks
Not like in the halcyon days
Of the summers and six free weeks

When we walked in warm sunshine
Under the azure blue July skies
With tar bubbles erupting from the road
And the buzz of the bees and flies.

The hedgerows in their summer glory
All green and filled with birdsong
And two la'l lads in their own world
Happily chattering as they went along.

Tom Higgins21/11/2013