25 Years at Number One

I recently read a book set in the 1980s which talked a lot about what was number one in the chart at the time*. I got thinking about number ones and I had an idea.

Here is a poem I’ve written which tells the story of my 25 years of life. Each stanza discusses a year of my life and somewhere in the first line, in bold, is the song that was number one on my birthday that year. There’s even a couple of double A-sides and the occasional lyric. I hope it works!

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This looks good, I think I’ll stay,
The warmth, the love everyday.
I’m hungry; thirsty; need to sleep
But giving memories they’ll always keep.

Oh Carolina, jump and prance,
It’s time for me to walk and dance.
Suddenly I have found,
There’s more to life than making sound.

Doop apparently means ‘poo’,
Now I have to use the loo!
I’m a big boy now- that’s what they say,
And getting bigger everyday.

I wanted a brother- I should think twice,
What if he turns out not to be nice?
The bulk of the attention I have lost,
Perhaps this wasn’t worth the cost!

“How deep is your love?” I ask,
“Two children, are you up to the task?”.
It’s easier now I’m off to school,
Though I’m not sure it’s very cool.

Who do you think you are, Miss Teacher?
You think a child is a horrible creature!
Mama, am I in big trouble?
It’s not as if the school’s in rubble.

Don’t give up on learning to read,
Their advice is something I should heed.
It’s a vital skill in this new century,
If I want to be the best I can be.

I’m in love with an uptown girl,
She gave me that Beanie Baby, Pearl.
In reality she’s just a childhood friend,
I hope these days don’t ever end.

Some trees are evergreen, some are not,
I learn everyday if I listen a lot.
Anything is possible at ten years old,
I remember everything I’m told.

I am beautiful, no matter what they say,
Those big boys on my very first day.
Secondary school is a scary idea,
I’m not sure I’ll overcome this fear.

Cha, Cha Slide real slow,
I hate the school disco.
Girls are watching and I can’t dance,
I try but I don’t know the stance.

It’s all about you, my first girlfriend,
We will be together until the end.
Then suddenly you’ve dumped me,
You’ve broken my heart, don’t disagree.

It’s Chico time or something like that,
Exams are here, like mental combat.
Phone away, start to write,
I can win this cerebral fight!

Shine all your light over me,
I’m in love can’t you see?
When you enter you light up the room,
Especially in that swimming costume.

Mercy, I think I will fail,
I’ve never had exams on this scale.
All I can do is lots of revision,
Everything from Shakespeare to cell division.

We are islands in the stream,
Being with you is like a dream.
But I am betrayed yet again,
How do I cope with all this pain?

Too much vodka, I will pass out,
Being eighteen is great there’s no doubt!
It’s time for me to move out of home,
And start racking up a student loan.

Never mind, I’ll find someone like you,
I’m much too busy to keep feeling blue.
Right now I’ve got to go to a lecture,
I don’t care if he’s buying you beluga caviar.

Now you’re just somebody that I used to know,
It now all feels like a long time ago.
I’m busy doing an assignment,
And working out how to afford the rent.

Mirrors show how grown up I now look,
Face defined from always reading a book.
I’m not that healthy due to the student diet,
I’m quite overweight, I can’t deny it.

My love, my profession, I’ve lost it now,
I must find something else- God knows how.
I feel like an utter failure,
Will this job be my saviour?

Lay me down, I’m tired from work,
I suppose it’s better than a bank clerk.
There’s still no sign of a career,
Despite it being over a year.

I work with kids around 7 years old,
Who struggle to listen to what they’ve been told.
I’ve finally passed my driving test,
Now just to sort out the rest.

I’m in love with the shape of you,
The latest payslip I have to view.
It’s still not really very much,
But I hope I can raise it a touch.

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Well there you have it. I’m used a little poetic licence (for example the Beanie Baby was Lips not Pearl) but generally this is true. Once I had the idea, I had to go through with it!

*The book was Chalk by Paul Cornell- it’s really good.