You and Fay got off the bus
and walked towards Waterloo train station

and you said
I often come here

just to see and smell
and hear the steam trains

and she looked about her
at the sights and sounds

and smell of steam off the trains
at the platforms

and she said
I haven’t been here

since my parents took us
to the seaside once

and my father was in a cross mood
all day because we wanted to play

on the beach and he wanted to go
to the pubs and my mother sat there

most of the day watching us
in a solemn silence

and she jump back a little
when a stream engine

blew out loudly nearby
and she laughed

and so did you
and as you stood there

in your faded jeans
and off white tee shirt

and she in her pink
summery dress

she took your hand
in her small hand

and you watched her
out of the corner of your eye

and she seemed to be so alive
and happy and all the dark times

of her father and his moods
and stern punishments

seemed momentarily
to have fled

and a glint of sunshine
and happiness came

and rested there
instead.