Silent And Shy 1957 Poem by Terry Collett

London Bridge
railway station
was busy
as Lydia and Benny

walked in and sat
on one of the seats
on the platform
where a big black

steam train
was about to go off
grey and white steam
shushed from beneath

and from on top
of the engine
Benny was fascinated
by steam engines

he loved to watch
the power and sound
and smell of them
Lydia's thoughts

were on her home
and her parents rowing
and her big sister
snoring away

after a boozy night
(as her mother
called it)
and her father

coming home drunk
and singing
in the Square
so all could hear him

the train steamed off
slow at first
then fast and faster
shush shush

and a loud whistle
and it was off
Benny watched it go
and Lydia turned her head

and watched it too
do you think
my parents' rowing
will end by the time

I get home?
She said
expect so
Benny said

usually short lived
they'll be all lovely dovey
by the time you get home
she wasn't so sure

they were going at it
hammer and tongs
when she left
and she didn't say

where she was going
and she supposed
she'd get a telling off
for that too

let's get 2 glasses
of milk and biscuits
from the station cafe
Benny said

she looked worried
come on
he said
race you to the cafe

she looked at him
they will have stopped
by the time I'm home
won't they?

I don't like it
when they row
of course
Benny said

all will be fine
when we get back
she nodded her head
and they walked

to the cafe
on the station
and went in
the place was quiet packed

but Benny told her
to get table and sit down
and he'd get the stuff
so she sat at a table

by the window
and Benny queued up
behind a man
in a stripe black and white suit

who smelt of tobacco
Lydia imagined
her mum and dad
going at each other

her mother throwing
cups and saucers
and her dad trying
to get a word in sidewards

and her sister Gloria
snoozing in it all
smelling of booze
and a good night out

she looked over at Benny
in the queue
hands in his trouser pockets
head to one side

looking at the labels
of biscuits
in the glass window
of a cabinet

deciding which to buy
and she looking
all silent and shy.