Ingrid knows
the absence
of real love,
she 's known it
all 9 years
of her life.
Her mother's
indifference,
her father's
strict and cruel
attention,
the beatings,
the cold stares,
the loud shouts,
the harsh threats,
promises
of spankings.
There is just
the one love:
Benedict
from along
the narrow
balcony
of the flats,
9 years old,
brave of heart,
with his sword
painted blue
(his old man
had made it),
false silver
6 shooter,
cap firing
toy hand gun,
gun holster,
leather belt,
with wide grin,
hazel eyes,
with talk of
cowboy films,
Robin Hood,
Ivanhoe,
and she his
pretty Maid
Marian,
so he says
or cowgirl
borrowing
his rifle,
to shoot down
bad cowboys
or Injuns.
He takes her
to his haunts:
the bomb sites,
the bombed out
old buildings,
the play parks,
cinemas
to watch films
in the dark,
feeling safe
beside him.
He has seen
her bruises,
her medals
of beatings,
the red welts
on her skin;
understands
the reasons,
who did it,
but not why;
giving her
cruel father
the cold eye
or hard sneer
when he sees
her father
in the Square
or passing
on the stair,
*********
two digits
(up you pal)
gesturing
behind her
father's back.
Ingrid knows
the absence
of real love,
she known it
all 9 years
of her life;
except for
Benedict,
her young knight
with blue sword,
and one day,
when they're grown
and left home,
she'll be his
pretty Maid
Marian
love and wife,
so she dreams
in her bed
in the night
of her sad
childhood life.
Dec 29, 2013
Dec 29, 2013 at 2:29 AM UTC
Ingrid knows
the absence
of real love,
she 's known it
all 9 years
of her life.
Her mother's
indifference,
her father's
strict and cruel
attention,
the beatings,
the cold stares,
the loud shouts,
the harsh threats,
promises
of spankings.
There is just
the one love:
Benedict
from along
the narrow
balcony
of the flats,
9 years old,
brave of heart,
with his sword
painted blue
(his old man
had made it),
false silver
6 shooter,
cap firing
toy hand gun,
gun holster,
leather belt,
with wide grin,
hazel eyes,
with talk of
cowboy films,
Robin Hood,
Ivanhoe,
and she his
pretty Maid
Marian,
so he says
or cowgirl
borrowing
his rifle,
to shoot down
bad cowboys
or Injuns.
He takes her
to his haunts:
the bomb sites,
the bombed out
old buildings,
the play parks,
cinemas
to watch films
in the dark,
feeling safe
beside him.
He has seen
her bruises,
her medals
of beatings,
the red welts
on her skin;
understands
the reasons,
who did it,
but not why;
giving her
cruel father
the cold eye
or hard sneer
when he sees
her father
in the Square
or passing
on the stair,
*********
two digits
(up you pal)
gesturing
behind her
father's back.
Ingrid knows
the absence
of real love,
she known it
all 9 years
of her life;
except for
Benedict,
her young knight
with blue sword,
and one day,
when they're grown
and left home,
she'll be his
pretty Maid
Marian
love and wife,
so she dreams
in her bed
in the night
of her sad
childhood life.
BOY AND GIRL IN 1950S LONDON.
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