There’s a fun fair
on the bombsite

off Meadow Row
you told Fay

that Friday
on the way home

from school
and she said

I can only come
if my daddy’s out

he thinks
all such things

are sinful
and if he

caught me there
he’d beat me for sure

Ok
you said

and let it drop
and walked on

beside her
the afternoon heat

making you sweat
and then she said

I will try
to come if I can

and she looked sad
and her pale features

seemed even paler
and her eyes searched you

and you said
I hope you can

but if not another time
when the fair returns

and you both paused
at the kerb

as traffic rushed by
and her thin hand

reached out
and held yours

her fingers
touched yours

her thumb rubbing
against your thumb

and when the traffic stopped
because of the change of lights

you walked across the road
still hand in hand

she just a few steps behind
a case of

(as her father
often said)

the blind
leading the blind.