ANOTHER DAY 1956

A GIRL AND BOY IN LONDON IN 1956.

Gran said I can go out,
said Janice, but not to go
on the bomb sites(I probably

will if Benny says so),
not to speak to strangers
(I won't), not to play

dangerous games(I may
if Benny has his bow
and arrows and he lets

me have ago), not to
show my knickers to boys
(I never would), not to eat

between meals( I may if
Benny buys me some chips
or a Mars bar), Gran waves

to me from the balcony,
her white handkerchief blowing
in the wind, don't be late home,

she says, I won't I say, and go
to meet Benny at the end
of Bath Terrace and see what

he is doing, Gran has gone
inside now, her words I don't
forget : You're only 8 years old,

ringing in my ears, as I go out
onto Bath Terrace and see
Benny at the end waving, he

has a cowboy hat on and his
rifle in his hand, where we going?
I say, the bomb site by the tabernacle,

it can be our Wild West,he says,
ok, I say, trying to forget Gran's
commands about bomb sites,

hoping she won't ask where
I’ve been, I cannot lie, taking
a chance, can I have ago with

your rifle? I ask sure you can,
Benny says, so we walk along
Rockingham Street, under the

railway bridge, a steam train
passing overhead, steam grey
and white puffing out and away,

another adventure, another day.