It was an exclusive location known only to me
I could go there at any time of the day or night
Being eleven seemed quite an old age back then
I enjoyed my time and friends at primary school
I was nervous about moving to a new high school
Most afternoons I had to do errands for my mother
I enjoyed shopping alone and having pocket money
Other worlds were known about through radio news
Vietnam was so far away but it was always a topic
The world I knew existed between school and home
Television brought new experiences straight into my life
I recall how afraid I felt when violent things happened
Daily murder and mayhem on the streets of my city
I had thought that killing was only in cowboy movies
Or very far away where the president had been shot
I frequently delved into worlds of endless imagination
I absorbed the many great adventures of Nancy Drew
Lived for my favourite comic June and Schoolfriend
Make-believe was a quiet place where I could just be
Feeling safe was paramount in my mind back then…
Eileen T O’Neill 14/03/2024