River's up

Brought my wears and cares along the cycle path
Our old ground on the ings

A mile upstream was Skelton’s
A mile downstream, Clifton
This was ours

The old pike beck

I stop and place a foot down on the path

The waters are receding
Meadows emerging from the long flat lake

Pike beck
Ancient site of adolescent wonder
And mischief

Where I came with Wacker to light a fire
Eyes stinging in the smoke
Cheeks smarting
On the day of my first break-up

It worked for a while

I’ve seen the pike fished out of here
Lifted by the tail

Big greedy fish too busy lurking
To notice that the river had gone
And left them stranded

In a few days, if the rain eases
Maybe boys will come to snatch them out
Or perhaps it’s all been lost

Somewhere across the rise of fields
Where the houses no longer flood
She’s sitting spitting venom

I breakfast in the library
Flat white and toast
A pale imitation

The waitress knows...
We smile

And so I spill these thoughts
Beside the sullen river
Where it ducks beneath an iron bridge

Clouds assemble
The wind grows cool and wet

It’s time to head

Work to do

There's too much history here