WHAT IT WAS FOR.

A BOY AND GIRL IN 1950S LONDON.

Dennis said

that girl you talk to

that one with glasses

and smells of damp

I saw her in the girls' bog

well not in there

but heard more like

after she went in

and she was kind

of crying soft

Benedict listened

as they walked

the playground

(as such it was

a bombed out cellar

of some house

before the War)

why was she crying?

Benedict asked

search me

Dennis said

and kicked a ball

to some kids

over the way

then ran towards them

showing some skill

so Benedict walked up

the steps to the girl's bog

and heard the weeping sound

through the wooden door

what's up Ingrid?

he said softly

she paused

silence came

sniffling

she opened the door

and came out

red eyed behind

her specs

she wiped her nose

and pulled

the door shut

and took him

secretly

to some corner

out of sight

and lifted her

grey skirt

to show a thigh

wounded and bruised

which caught his eye

then she let

the skirt down

and wiped her hands

and blew her nose

he sighed

he knew her father's hand

had made its mark

and curse

she looked at him

her eyes larger

through the glasses

power

and stared anxious

and bit her lip

and wiped her nose

once more

don't say a word

to anyone

she said in quiet tones

be worse for me

if others know

he sighed again

and made

his humble promise

to keep his word

here

he said

and took a wrapped

toffee from his pocket

and put it

in her ink stained

bony hand

she stared

then slowly

unwrapped it

and placed it

in her mouth

and began to chew

they walked off

and down the steps

to the playground floor

he talked

of the bow and arrow set

he bought

and how like

Robin Hood he looked

and would she be

his Maid Marian

when his game

again began?

she chewed slowly

her eyes settling

to a milder gaze

yes

she said

and could she borrow

his blue steel sword?

he smiled and agreed

and she talked

of her father's wrath

and row and hits

her mother's

blackened eye

and how he hit

she herself

as she hid

behind the door

having no reason why

or what it was for.