I was born in nineteen forty eight, in the docklands, of Cardiff City,

But Eleanor street isn't there no more, and that really is a pity,

Eleanor primary that stood next door, was also flattened to the ground,

And as you wander through the streets, you'll see changes all around.

The iron bridge at Clarence road, and the swing bridge, in James street,

The Little Windsor, and Torbay, the pubs where people use to meet.

They've all been razed to the ground, where never to rise again,

The railway went, the dry docks too, things will never be the same.

Another change as I recall, was to the canal and timber floats,

They filled them in, and laid a sewer in the canal that once held boats.

An abattoir was designed and built , where once floated all the wood,

And a concrete wall and sewer outlet, where the last canal lock stood.

Baileys dry docks, off Stuart street, where ships were brought and mended,

The Alexander, and the Channel too, all of them have now, ended.

The Norwegian Church, built on the dock, where the people use to pray,

Even that was taken down, though rebuilt, it's further away.

In Tiger Bay, as we all called it, they had changes made there too,

They ripped up the playground, and built flats, why? nobody knew.

What happened to the sand boats, that tied up at the mall in Grange,

I don't know where they moor them now, and I find that very strange.

The timber works along side the canal, where my pals and I would play,

Ford's scrap-yard, with it's rope shed, was somewhere else we'd play all day.

Or we would go down to the pontoons, that were in place at the Pier Head,

Where the paddle boats, once came and went, that another thing, now dead.

James Clark carriers, the transporters that had their depot by the beach,

The Gospel hall, by the Pier Head, where the preachers use to preach.

They have gone, they stand no more, for they are now just part of history,

That's what I don't understand, it's an enigma, puzzle, mystery.

In the Docks it use to be, that you could knock on any household door,

Push it open then walk in, and you where welcome, that's for sure.

Then the councillors, took the families, and scattered them all around,

But If you go down to the Docks, some old timers, may be found.

Down Ferry Road there was a subway, that would take you to Penarth,

It passed right under the river, but it was damp and very dark.

In Penarth dockland they built the houses, right there on the quay,

And on the point they've built a barrage, that will hold back all the sea.

The Empire Pool is gone now, where We use to splash and swim,

They've gone and changed the Arms Park, where the Welsh we use to sing.

We can only hope these changes, that are happening all around,

Will enhance the look of our city, which is the Welsh Capital town.