I opened the gate on white summer heat,
I walked down the path and onto the street,
I looked all around and gasped at the sight,
Of sweaty nylon dresses and tan coloured tights,
The psychedelic shorts and way-out hats,
Dogs chasing cats, children having shats,
Sounding the beat of a holiday dream.

And I was walking down the street on a summer's day,
I saw my friends and I wanted to say:
"I'll get some beer and bring it on a tray!"
Walking down the street on a summer's day.

As I walked further on in the dazzling glare,
I happened to notice a radio blare,
The neighbours were out in colossal force,
Their bellies and engines and tongues all coarse,
The lawn was long, the hedge even longer,
The weeds were immense and the house did pong-a,
The boys, the teams, the demented scenes,
Sounding the beat of a holiday dream.

And I was walking down the street on a summer's day,
The world around me made me want to say:
"I'll be happy for ever and a day!"
Walking down the street on a summer's day.

I rounded the bend at the end of the road,
A huge, red soft-top zoomed and glowed,
The girls in the back all giggly and daft,
Young Gaz told them stories and they laughed and laughed,
They rounded a corner, the rounded a bend,
They did it again and again and again,
The girls, the beads, the moisturising cream,
Sounding the beat of a holiday dream.

And I was walking down the street on a summer's day,
I saw a lolly shop and wanted to pray,
That lollies would be around for as long as I could pay,
Walking down the street on a summer's day.

And I was walking down the street on a summer's day,
It was not a moment to be sad or grey,
I wanted to dance and sing and play,
Walking down the street on a summer's day.

 

©Cathryn Sharpe