Martha Breakfast Time 1966.

You’ll have to do something

your father said

can’t sit around all day

doing nothing.

I’m seeing Father Hewit

about working in the priest’s house

for a month or so

until I hear back

from the missionary nuns

you told your father.

He sipped his tea 

and gazed at you,

Well do your best

none of your talking

to the crucifixes

he said.

You said nothing

just ate the buttered toast

and sipped the tea

with three spoons of sugar.

You had a letter from Magdalene

the day before from London

where she was living 

and working in a restaurant.

Neat handwriting 

and full of the rundown 

of her day to day.

Mary was working still

in the grocery shop

and had a boyfriend

whom you saw her with

at on Sunday at mass

he looked a drip

and she said he was

when she spoke to me

when he went off

to talk to the priest.

When are you seeing

Father Hewit?

your father said.

Eleven after mass

you said.

Don’t be late

your father said.

You gazed at him 

and said

I won’t.

Nothing more

was exchanged

between you and him.

The sky was grey

and the day 

looked dim.