Lydia On the Way to School 1958

Benny showed me

his favourite glass marbles.

They lay on his open palm.

The green one's

my favourite overall

he said.

I told him about my big sister

coming home drunk

the previous night

and puking in the bowl

beside the bed.

He said nothing about that

just listened

as we walked to school.

I told him

she moaned in her sleep

and passed wind.

We walked down

St George's Road.

He said his old man

was taking him

to the cinema that night

to see a Jeff Chandler film.

I listened and wandered

who Jeff Chandler was

but never asked

and he looking ahead

never said.