All undone,
as he does,
Ingrid knows,
every time
picks on her,
punishes,
nothing new,
but she knows
afterwards
even when
the wounds go
and pain stops,
it will come
like seasons
once again.
Her mother
is too weak
to stop him,
too frightened
to say boo
or say no,
and as she
walks over
the bombsites
with her friend
Benedict,
listening
to his talk
of brave knight
fighting bad
with sharp sword
or strong bow,
or share his
bag of sweets
or soft drinks,
in London’s
50’s streets,
being his
high lady
in distress,
or be there
by her side,
9 years old
as she is
but seeming
much older,
his friendship
and sharing
and boyhood
Robin Hood
sort of love
and sharing,
makes the days
of darkness
of wounding
punishments
easier
and her mind
much bolder.