When I first joined the Army, in September 1964, I started a journal, of sorts, that I called “Special thoughts and feelings”. I would lie in bed at night and write myself into another world, well away from the stresses and strains of Army training.
I jotted down a few poems, a few thoughts, a few hopes, a few dreams.
I listed the words to “House of the rising sun”, and made a list of songs that I could play on guitar.
I rewrote the collection on Sunday 19th March 1967 and retitled it “Private poems and prose by Pete + thoughts in words in writing”. Unfortunately, at that time, I omitted some of my earlier work, thinking it unworthy of record, or not wanting to be held to account. I regret that!
The book I used for the rewrite was a hardcover indexed book issued by Her Majesty’s Stationery Office, S.O.BOOK 345.
I made the mistake of writing CONFIDENTIAL , in red, at the top and bottom of the book.
Because I was in a job that dealt with matters confidential, and higher, the next time I went through Customs I was stopped, and held for some considerable time, while the book was scrutinized in depth!
At that time I was madly in love with Susan. I had been since the age of 14 when she had moved to my nearest village, when her father became Head of a nearby Secondary School. I recall that she had previously lived in Preston, Lancashire.
A lot of content, therefore, revolved around thoughts of Susan.
I intend, over time, to share the content of this “Blog before Blogs were invented”.
I shall record the entries exactly as they were written, but may add comments viewed from a “few” years distance!
There are odd scraps of paper in the book with some complete, some incomplete, and some “what on earth is this meant to be” scribblings. There’s also a “work of art”.
There is one particular poem, titled “Or is it?” that I should have copyrighted. The first line is “Walk in the air……….” I’m sure I could have argued the case for some rights to “The Snowman” song!
Having whetted your appetite, I’m not holding myself to any timetable.
