ON THE GRASS BY BANKS HOUSE.

A BOY AND GIRL IN LONDON IN 1950S

Fay sat
on the grass
 with you
with Banks House

behind you
the windows
with their lace curtains
revealed no spying eyes

and she had her hair
pushed back
with grips
and her yellow

flowered dress
pulled over
her knees
and she said

her father was away
so she could be out
and see her friends
without a third degree

and you watched her
as she spoke
how she gestured
with her hands

her fingers thin
the nails trimmed
and she said her mother
cried in the night

and she had gone
to listen and her father
was bellowing
and she crept

back to her room
and hid beneath
the blankets
in case he came out

of his room and saw
her still awake
and you took in
her pale features

how the skin
seemed transparent
as if you might see
into her heart

and watch it beat
and when she stopped speaking
you said  Moorcraft
had taken you to the Scouts

but you only went
the one night
why?
she asked

I got caught up in a fight
you said
 some kid pushed me
off the ropes and I fell

 so I went punched him
she sat and stared
at you and was not impressed
that’s not you

she said
be yourself
and she lowered
her eyes

and gazed
at her brown shoes
and you wanted
to say sorry

and take one
of her hands
and hold it
against your

cheek’s skin
but you didn’t
you spoke of
the sword

your old man
had made you
the blue bladed
metal sword

you wore
in the belt
around your jeans
lets talk of other things

she said and she
looked up at you
and said she liked
your patterned

no sleeve jumper
and your neat cut hair
 but all you could do
was drink in

her girly beauty
and stupidly stare.