Janice( wearing a lime
flowered dress
and white socks)

met me by the iron bridge
to go to chapel
I didn't often

go to chapel
sometimes
I went to the other church

or the tabernacle
or not at all
but she wanted to go

so I said
I’d go along
and sing a few hymns

and see the old dame
plonking on the piano
out of tune

and some old guy
singing
like a bullfrog

out of water
Gran said
I’m not to get

my new dress *****
and not to go
on the bomb sites

or play in the park
or I’m for it
just chapel

and home again
she sounded disappointed
I thought of going

to the bomb site
off Meadow Row
to get small stones

for my catapult
but I didn’t want
to get her

into trouble
ok let's get
to chapel

and have a sing-along
I like your blazer
is it new?

yes my Mum
bought it for me
for Sundays

and special occasions
I also have these
new grey flannel trousers

and white shirt
and tie
we walked on

by the public house
and along
to the small chapel

she was thinking
of her new lime
flowered dress

and what the chapel goers
might think and say
I was thinking

of how many cans
I could hit
with my new catapult

tucked inside
my blazer pocket
touching it lightly

with my fingers
as we walked along
hearing

as we entered
the chapel
a dreary song.