Innocence

I'll never lose the innocence
That childhood seems to hold,
Excepting greedy flatulence
And nasty, feverish colds,
Or parasites shared with your friends,
Or beatings by some ghoul
Who, just because he is your age,
Is warehoused at your school.

Of course I have fond memories
Of autumn walks at dawn,
The fog so thick, the ducks flew near,
The frost upon the lawns.
And waiting til the yellow bus
Appeared quite magically,
It's belly full of savages,
All waiting just for me.