Toralf Cod

ISLAND OF MY CHILDHOOD

Deep inside my heart and soul lays the Island of my childhood.
It is an island of happy dreams and thoughts, an island of safety and joy.

It may not be so, but I think it is;

Everyone that was once a child longs for the perfect summer morning
The kind of morning when the sun sneaks passed the curtains and lights up the room.

The kind of morning when you hear your best friend in the whole world call your secret signal;
coo-coo, coo-coo

The kind of morning when your feet are still hot and hard from running barefoot all day yesterday.

Everyone that was once a child longs for the perfect summer day;
The kind of day when you are just the right age and strength,
and just tired enough after the day’s last swim.

The kind of day when the sun doesn’t want to let go of the sea,
but has to paint it orange
and then with violet shadows in the tiny waves of a wooden boat.

The kind of day when the sound of seagulls follows you in the door,
only to disappear in the wetness of the towel Mom uses to dry your hair.

The kind of day when the taste of Mom’s sandwiches and ice-cold milk
mix with salt water that suddenly runs out of your nose.

Everyone who was once a child longs for end of the perfect summer day;
The kind of day that ends with the best people in the world hugging you good night and smiling as if you’re the most important person in the world, where Dad tucks you in and puts down the Donald Duck mag only after reading every last page, where the only thing better than being naked is to put on a clean pyjamas.

The kind of night that smiles to you, even when you’re grown up and you long for the day when it’s someone else’s happy childhood you close the bedroom door too.

©Copyright May 2002 by Toralf Cod