One foot in the gutter, the other on the pavement,
Pretended that he had a limp,
On a Sunday smelling of summer dust and boredom.
The other children in the street had gone to a summer camp,
Run by the local council, he had been there last year
But didn’t care for the strict discipline.
His mother wasn’t very pleased,
Her lover had moved in for the duration and the flat was tiny.

In his pockets he had a broken compass, a small magnet,
On which two rusty nails clung
And a coin which his mother’s friend had given him,
Enough to see a Hoppalong Cassidy movie and buy an ice cream.
First showing at three and it wasn’t one o’clock yet.

Cross-legged he sat on the pavement,
Lone wolf today.
Not much fun since he couldn’t tell anyone.
He should have gone with the other kids to
The summer camp after all, didn’t like his mother’s friend,
A typical black hat and none of them had
Time for him, staying in bed till late.