How We Used To Live

Does anyone remember the 'educational programme' of the same name? We used to watch it in school. Clearly inspired by this, I wrote this as a young teenager, and have just found it while looking for something else. I include it, not to prove I was a precocious and pretentious child, though of course I was, but in case it brings up the same nostalgic feelings for anyone else.

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How We Used To Live

We used to put the numbers in the formula,
in place of the letters, and cancel out the brackets
to get a solution.

We used to set up the apparatus,
as shown in the diagram, and get the results
to prove our predictions

We used to be given a number,
either one or two,
to decide whose side we would be on

We used to write yes/no questions
with appropriate boxes for ticking
to find out if our loves loved us

We used to be given cuddles and plasters
and magic pink cream
to stop our wounds hurting

We used to want to grow out of it all

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