PICNIC WITH JANICE 1956

TWO KIDS GO ON A PICNIC IN LONDON IN 1956

Janice held the carrier bag
with sandwiches
and two bottles of pop
and packets of crisps
and walked with me
up Meadow Row

she was wearing
a red flowered dress
and white ankle socks
and brown shoes

I was in blue jeans
and a white shirt

where are we going?
she said

thought we'd go
to Bedlam Park
and have a picnic
I said
as the day's dry
and warm
and we're off
from school

I told Gran
I was going out
but didn't say where
because I didn't
know where
Janice said

didn't mind you
going out with me then?
I said

no she don't mind
me going out with you
but she did say
no mischief  
Janice said

we crossed the bomb site
by Arch Street
and she talked of her
gran's sister and her husband
and I looked
at the traffic passing
on the New Kent Road

we walked on
and went by
the Trocadero cinema
where my old man
took me often to see
cowboy or war films

we went down
the subway and along
I began to sing
a cowboy song
and she said not to
but I did
and she blushed
and pretended not
to be with me

once out the other end
we walked along
St George's Road

I told her some
old dear near us
had given us her budgerigar
called Billy
as she couldn't
cope anymore
so now we've got it
I said
it don't talk though
so I can't teach
it rude words  

just as well
Janice said
after you taught our canary
to say naughty words

I laughed
not funny Benny
Gran thought I
taught him
and nearly got
a smacking

sorry about that
I said
but they were
only words

rude words
Janice said
and Gran wasn't pleased

we walked along
past our school
and into Bedlam Park

where we found
a spot of clean grass
and sat and opened the bag
and began to
eat and drink our wares
and talked
and I ignored
the other boys'
stares.