At school
Moorcraft said
about joining
the boy scouts with him
(the only scouts
you were interested in
were those who rode
ahead of the cavalry
in western films
and who got themselves
scalped by Injuns)
but he went on
about how they taught you
to tie knots
and light fires
with two sticks
of wood
and how to sing songs
around a camp fire
and be a good kid
and do Bob a Job
for old ladies
and he went on about it
quite a bit
and so you said
ok pick me up later
and so after teatime
of bread and jam
and a mug of tea
and biscuit
you went with Moorcraft
to the church hall
where the scouts met
and this tall scouts master
in short trousers
and hairy legs
and glasses
took you off
to join the rest
and introduced you both
and some kid
showed you how
to tie these knots
and climb ropes
and how to set up
a tent and make camp
and so on
until some kid
pushed you off
the ropes
and you pushed him back
and he punched you
on the shoulder
and you hit him
on the jaw
and then you were both
on the floor
and the good kids
were saying oh and gosh
and crowding round
until the scout master came
and asked what
was going on
and that good scouts
didn’t fight
and threw you out
of the hall
leaving Moorcraft behind
tying knots
and climbing ropes
but you didn’t
give a fig at all
and Moorcraft still in there
not knowing why
and you walked home alone
under an evening sky.