DRIZZLE 1958

A GIRL IN LONDON IN 1958

Drizzle came
Lydia gazed out
her bedroom window.

She had wanted
to go out
now she'd
have to wait.

Her big sister Gloria
slept in the bed
behind her snoring.

The boyfriend
lay beside her
mouth open
sleeping soundly.

Lydia sighed
she had to sleep
in the cot bed
because of him
which was getting
too small for her.

She looked
as raindrops
hit the windowpane.

The radio was playing
in the front room
her mother
singing along
to some big
band music.

She wanted
to go out
and see Benny
and go somewhere
but now she had
to stay in until
the drizzle stopped.

She could see
the green grass
and the abandoned
bomb shelter
outside the window
of the flats.

Sometimes kids
played on it
making out
it was a castle
or a fort
to be fought over.

Drizzle
fecking drizzle
she whispered
not letting her mother
hear her or she'd
wash her mouth out
with soap and water
her 10 year old
naughty daughter.