Victory

Today

He had his head down

Holding his breath

So the snipers couldn’t hear him

Laying flat

In the Burmese dust

With the flies and mosquitos

From the green canopy

Hovering over him

Like Kamikaze

Today

He feasted on

Meagre rations

And drank a warm tepid water

Drawn from a dirty stream

Somewhere

Something exploded

And debris rain...

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At night we sealed the light in, to be safe.

There was music, and the sewing machine whirred.

We played on the rug with a painted wooden car,

Like the one Daddy used to drive, when there was petrol.

Now every night the warden was on his bike,

In the pitch-black streets, checking the dark houses

In case the careless light was spilling out.

The rain on his r...

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It was 1960

Only fifteen years after the War ended

(Though we did'nt know it) and the

Prevailing dogma, a brave new world meant

Knocking down brick terraces

(Often quite servicable)

To build ten-storey flats.

Kids like us played in derelict houses

Door-less and

Stripped of copper and roof-slates their

Dank stone cellars exciting with

What today they call memorabili...

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