INNES'S YAK 1961VXC

Innes was a short
tubby kid
with black greasy hair
who rode to school
and back
on a blue bicycle.

Some lunchtimes
he would come
into the playground
sweating
and sweat would
run down his forehead  
and his black hair
would glow.

What did
your dad do
in the War?
he said
one lunchtime
as we stood
by the fence.

He was in Egypt
I said.

What did he
do there?

He was something
to do with tanks
I said.

He gazed at me
my dad was one
of those who landed
on D-day
he said.

Got wounded
on the beach
but afterwards
went through France
and into Germany.

I looked at him
and wondered if
his old man
was short and tubby
and made
an easy target
for the Krauts.

What rank
was your dad?
he said.

No idea
I said
he never said.

Mine was a sergeant
and has medals.

I nodded
the sky
was a bright blue
the Downs
were behind us
green and vast.

I have an uncle
who was wounded
at Dunkirk
I said.

He looked past me
at the girls' playground.

My uncle Ralph
was a prisoner of the Japs
he said
came back thin
and ill looking
so my mother said.

I looked back
at the girls' playground
Lizbeth was looking over.

I liked the red hair
and her slim figure.

She waved
I waved back.

Innes stood looking
and continued
with his yak.