Black and White World

It's always difficult to choose a favourite anything...but this is probably my
favourite of my own poems.
Before you read it, please note that the title has absolutely NOTHING to do with
the colour of anyone's skin.

BLACK   AND   WHITE   WORLD
Let us go back to the black and white world
and pretend it was better than now,
to our youth and beyond, to the poverty bond
we can visit if memories allow.
There were shoes on our feet stuffed with yesterday’s news;
we had one suit of clothes, drab and drear.
With no jewels to bedeck, save the scum round our necks,
we had nothing…..and that includes fear.
See the obstinate chins and the diamond bright eyes
face the black and white world with a dare.
We knew none could uncover, nor slyly discover
those secrets of our great despair.
And the place where we lived (was it ever in colour,
the paint ever glossy and new?)
where we hung by the feet in full view of the street
from a rail, with defiance as glue.
See the gutters which yielded a treasure-trove rare
of ball-bearings and other such gems.
How we stooped, unaware of the seams we might tear,
in our dresses without any hems.
Then, those rosy-cheek children who looked down their noses
yet longed with green envy to play
with the black and white urchins, so craftily searching
for some way to make the rich pay.
And we did…you remember?…we tapped every resource,
we understood nothing of shame.
We would blackmail or flatter, it didn’t much matter
as long as they couldn’t prove blame.
We were quick, we were slick, and we didn’t mind danger
in fact, it enhanced all the thrills.
We took chances so lightly and squeezed through so tightly
you would think we expected some spills.
But we didn’t…remember?...we thought nothing of it,
invincible down to the last.
Don’t you think it’s a pity that children so gritty
should grow up and hide from the past?