There was a little piece of paradise
In the valley down the road
Where trees grew tall and we laughed out loud
As we watched each other grow
And no-one used to lock their doors
Since everyone was friends
Swimming in the golden sun at the old swimming hole
Those summers never seemed to end
And Susan asked where Billy went
And if he’d take her there
‘Cuz like us all she thought the world
Began beyond somewhere
But little did we know, little did we think
That our old town was all we needed
Just a little piece of paradise
In the valley down the road
On Friday nights we’d cruise the ‘dub
And race on Harris Road
Or meet with friends at the Twinkle Inn
And go to the Starlight for the show
It was a time of sock-hops then
With bobbysox and lettermen
The local bands could do no wrong
We knew all the words to all the songs
The stores wore familiar local names
Not global franchises or parts of chains
But they gave us jobs and things besides
Not just the goods but local pride
A little piece of paradise
In the valley down the road
Where trees grew tall and we laughed out loud
As we watched each other grow
Trailrides through timeless forests
Building forts and climbing trees
Neighbourhood games of kick the can
Unfettered, fearless and so free
When the days grew cold and the nights grew long
There’d be skating on the frozen ponds
Or sliding on the snowy golf course slopes
And cars parked at the top of the world would steam with all the loving
And we laughed out loud and we lived so proud
As the world went on its way
And time marched on and the wheel turned
And some of us moved away
From a little piece of paradise
In the valley down the road
Where trees grew tall and we laughed out loud
As we’d watched each other grow
David Trudel © 2011
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