Let me tell you what we did,

to pass the time, when I'as a kid

We’d rummage the dumps to scavenge parts,

to build our trusty billy-carts.

Once we dragged up the street,

an old piece of iron we could beat.

We flattened every corrugation,

with bricks and hammers, and determination.

With fruit-box ends, a stolen nail or two,

we built a beautiful tin canoe. 

Proudly we carried it to the creek,

only to find our tin craft did leak.

We had no such thing as silicone

But wit and cunning we did own

We sat and waited for the hot summer sun,

And before too long, the road tar run. 

With sticks we scooped it into a tin,

and plugged every hole, where the water came in.

Then we boarded our trusty boat,

and to our amazement, it really did float!!

Other kids in the street built their own canoes,

And many roofs vanished, from back yard loos.

Kids from all along the street,

joined to form their own naval fleet.

All summer long, we fought naval wars,

And the only injuries sustained were paspallium sores.

Clear summer skies changed to winter’s blues

So we decommissioned our fleet of small tin canoes.

When the winter rains wet the quarry's clay,

The next adventure was born, the Masonite sleigh.

With a pull on the rope, to make the Masonite bend,

at break-neck speed, into the quarry we’d descend.

When the daredevil ride finally came to a stop,

with sleigh in tow, we’d climb back to the top.

A few more rides, and chilled to the bone,

with our sleighs safely hidden,

we’d make our way home.