THE ROARING FORTIES

a new era dawns
a new chapter begins
out with the old decade
in with the new one
four zero
forty
40
just a number
just a number?
just a number
a symbol really
like #666
or #007
i guess it matters if ya want it to matter
it might matter to some other people
who want you to behave in a certain way
mature?
middle-aged, anyone?
but it doesn't really matter
at glastonberry
billy bragg addresses the audience
how pleased he is to see so many young people in attendance
by 'young' he says he means under forty
aw come on, billy
try telling that to yer average teenager!
it's all relative
and it's all subjective
i say: you're only as old as the woman you feel
ain't that right, mrs fireseed?!
okay
so certain artificial thresholds are inevitably crossed
i believe i'm now older than the average uk citizen
entering the grey half of a greying population
(does that mean i might soon slip out again?)
i have a different tick box on the market research form
a new category on the motor insurance form
(but hey i don't own a car!)
so time to take stock i guess
where was i a decade ago?
well
in july 98
i was...
single
without childe
(though i had just met mrs fireseed)
living from hand to mouth
renting a cramped studio flat in boringmouth
cruising along without direction
a rather self-centred person in many ways
quite uptight
a bit full of myself
certainly not a particularly happy chappy
only a recent convert to veganism
spiritually shallow
only vaguely in touch with my creative side
only intermittently writing songs
a fully paid-up member of the bewildered herd
still a trusting consumer of 'liberal journalism'
even more innocent and niaive than i am now
if you can believe that!
i had...
a lot of bad habits
misconceptions
issues to deal with
and a whole lot to unlearn...
a decade later
and i reckon i'm starting to make some serious progress
on most fronts
beginning to liberate myself
from the tyranny of the past
so if life indeed does begin at 40
then bring it on!