Loughborough

I once spent the day with a girl who was pro fox hunting;
who asked what was wrong with The Tories;
who said she wanted her parents' life.
We lay down outside a church
The grass poured around us like mint sauce
and I thought maybe I'd just marry her
and be done with it.

Later, we climbed high to where the Victorian prison stood
its windows like wedding diamonds in the low sun,
and the skyline beneath us like smashed meringue
I thought about the house we would own in Loughborough
our lanky children,
our utility room,
our dogs, wax jackets, fridge calendar and committees.

We didn't wear our coats
but there was still touch of cold in the air,
everything was just like summer, if you squinted.