Hannah and Benedict
sat on the floor
of her bedroom
playing chess
outside it was raining
hitting against
the windows
your move
Hannah said
Benedict moved
his pawn forward
Hannah's mother(Mrs Scot)
walked along the passage
by the open door
whit ur ye daein?
playing chess
Hannah said
wa haur?
Mrs Scot asked
where else?
Hannah replied
in th' dinnin room
Mrs Scot said
what's up?
Benedict asked
she wants us to play
in the dinning room
Hannah said
oan th' table
nae th' fluir
Mrs Scot said firmly
awe rite Maw
Hannah said
so Hannah picked up
the chessboard carefully
and carried it into
the dinning room
balancing the board
so that the pieces
were where they were
Benedict followed behind
hands in the pockets
of his jeans
Mrs Scot eyeing him
with beady eyes
her hair covered
in a tartan headscarf
Hannah set the board
on the table
and Benedict and she
sat at the table
to resume their game
Mrs Scot walked off
muttering to herself
whose move?
Benedict asked
mine now
Hannah said
why couldn't we play
on the floor of your room?
he asked
God knows
Hannah replied
as she moved her bishop
along the black squares
your king's in trouble
Hannah said
Benedict looked
at the board
and moved his
pawn forward to block
and protect his king
Mrs Scot appeared
in the doorway
staring at them
hoo lang ur ye
gonnae be?
she asked
not long the way
Benedict's playing why?
Hannah said
it has stopped rainin'
sae ye can gang it
Mrs Scot said
Benedict gazed at Hannah
then at Mrs Scot
ok won't be long
Hannah said
Mrs Scot went off
and Hannah moved her bishop
and said
checkmate
Benedict looked
at the board and saw
that he was
so there you are
he said
so do we have
to go now?
Hannah nodded her head
yes it's best
so she packed up
the pieces
and the game board
and took them to her room
Benedict followed
watching her as she
put the game away
then they walked
to the door and went out
into the morning air
with Mrs Scot at the door
giving them
the dark stare.
Jul 17, 2015
Jul 17, 2015 at 3:50 AM UTC
Hannah and Benedict
sat on the floor
of her bedroom
playing chess
outside it was raining
hitting against
the windows
your move
Hannah said
Benedict moved
his pawn forward
Hannah's mother(Mrs Scot)
walked along the passage
by the open door
whit ur ye daein?
playing chess
Hannah said
wa haur?
Mrs Scot asked
where else?
Hannah replied
in th' dinnin room
Mrs Scot said
what's up?
Benedict asked
she wants us to play
in the dinning room
Hannah said
oan th' table
nae th' fluir
Mrs Scot said firmly
awe rite Maw
Hannah said
so Hannah picked up
the chessboard carefully
and carried it into
the dinning room
balancing the board
so that the pieces
were where they were
Benedict followed behind
hands in the pockets
of his jeans
Mrs Scot eyeing him
with beady eyes
her hair covered
in a tartan headscarf
Hannah set the board
on the table
and Benedict and she
sat at the table
to resume their game
Mrs Scot walked off
muttering to herself
whose move?
Benedict asked
mine now
Hannah said
why couldn't we play
on the floor of your room?
he asked
God knows
Hannah replied
as she moved her bishop
along the black squares
your king's in trouble
Hannah said
Benedict looked
at the board
and moved his
pawn forward to block
and protect his king
Mrs Scot appeared
in the doorway
staring at them
hoo lang ur ye
gonnae be?
she asked
not long the way
Benedict's playing why?
Hannah said
it has stopped rainin'
sae ye can gang it
Mrs Scot said
Benedict gazed at Hannah
then at Mrs Scot
ok won't be long
Hannah said
Mrs Scot went off
and Hannah moved her bishop
and said
checkmate
Benedict looked
at the board and saw
that he was
so there you are
he said
so do we have
to go now?
Hannah nodded her head
yes it's best
so she packed up
the pieces
and the game board
and took them to her room
Benedict followed
watching her as she
put the game away
then they walked
to the door and went out
into the morning air
with Mrs Scot at the door
giving them
the dark stare.
A BOY AND GIRL AND A CHESS GAME AND HER MOTHER IN 1960 LONDON.
Request permission to use this poem