Us

We were children, thick as thieves
Grown together, a clattering duologue on silent hills
Tripping, laughing, rarely talking
Heads tipped to the sun.

Through the scattered trees we wove,
Armed with sticks, for savage beasts would graze
On wetted fields, take care

We had our guns, and we were fearless!
Our weapons gripped tight, as the light softly fell,
Knees bent. Long grass, tickled my nose.

At school we were strangers, boy and girl,
In mutual acceptance of unspoken boundaries
From school we trudged, ten paces apart

But then, past that street, friends left behind
Our eyes would meet, and we were together
So young, back gardens stretched out forever
Or we’d just lie silent, too hot to run round
And I’d pick the flowers grown up from the ground.