Nativity (Boys in Tights)

Nativity (Boys in Tights)

One late December in nineteen sixty-

Something, I was due to appear on stage,

In Chadwell Heath infant’s nativity,

Or pantomime, at the very young age

Of five or six, for two, three, or four nights,

Dressed as a pixie, (or was it an elf?),

In a pair of red, yellow, or green tights,

The thought of which made me feel very self-

Conscious. I seem to remember begging old

Mrs, wots-her-name, not to make me wear

‘em, but kids mostly did as they were told

Back then- especially those inclined to scare

Easily. Hence, I couldn’t avoid it

And, even though (maybe) I quite enjoyed it,

If anyone asked, I probably said,

I wished I’d been one of the wise men instead.