1967 VISIT.

Sunny day
that hospital
visiting day
she outside

 

in a chair
smoking a cigarette
I sat  in a chair
next to her

 

wouldn't
let me out
she said
wanted to meet you

 

in London
but the docs
put their spoke
in the wheel

 

and the parents
are none too happy
about it
means

 

they have
to visit me
rather than I
go to them

 

I said nothing
let her speak on
get it out
of her system

 

she had this
dressing gown on
her hair tied back
in an untidy bun

 

bright red slippers
on her feet
if I didn't have
these cigarettes

 

I’d go completely
over the wall
with the other
fruit cakes in here

 

she said
they said
you were here
at the hall

 

I said
I went there first
Warwick said
you were here

 

bought you these
and I gave her
a pack of smokes
and a small box

 

of chocolates
she took the gifts
with her free hand
and placed them

 

beside her
on the grass
God you are good
to me

 

if we were in the City
I’d repay you
she said
no need

 

I said
given out of love
not lust
she smiled

 

guess so

she said
they keep
that small cupboard

 

locked now
she said
after that time
we had it off

 

in there
she said
I looked back
towards

 

the hospital ward
a few yards away
too small anyway
I said

 

she inhaled slow
on the cigarette
her eyes half closing
due to the smoke

 

do you really get
that church
tambourine
banging thing?

 

she asked
the essence yes
I said
not necessarily

 

the trappings
she stared at me
her free hand
in her lap

 

the other holding
the cigarette
to one side
I suppose people

 

need to believe
something
in this darn circus
of a world

 

she said
guess so
I said
she looked down

 

towards the road
some fifty yards away
where traffic
moved slowly by

 

and as she moved
she crossed her legs
a glimpse of thigh
caught my weary eye.

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