On A Sunny Sunday Afternoon In Clapham Poem by Dónall Dempsey

He stole her heart.

He stole her smile.

He stole her laughter.

Gave her a child
to tie her down and

she lived unhappily ever after.

She took beating after beating
wore fake tan & a fake smile

dressed to please him
(there was no...pleasing him) .

The sun beats mercilessly down.

She hides behind cheap shades
(given away as a freebie with a girl's magazine) .

The black eye refuses
to fade.

She wears long sleves
to hide the angry bruises

turning purple with his rage.

She's 16 going on nothing
and she's come of age