Autumn term
New shoes
Pencil cases
Scratchy shirts with names on them
Who’s my teacher?
Will my friends still like me?
What is that at the bottom of the bag, from before
A lifetime ago
Different teacher: different world
A world when it ran like a machine
A bad-tempered machine
Homework, gym kit, lunches, forms
On time, home time, hair cuts and
clubs for sport. A masterclass in memory…
Or lists. Or routine.
Was it even possible? Can we pull that organisation from under sand-crusted soft shoes
and endless summer afternoons?
How can I find it?
Where did I have it last?
