The Shackleton
I think I'll tell you about Sally Evans
She was striking out notes that she wrote to herself
Tore them to pieces and hid them away
In a Bandaid tin on the shelf in the shed
I was sixteen and my hair was curly
I had always imagined her words were about me
So I pieced them together like cryptical crosswords
And found to my shock they were not.
“Graham has dumped me.
God I'm so sad.
Johnny's alright for a laugh but he's a bit of a twat.
I'm three weeks pregnant.
I know it's not long.
My parents will k** me but in truth I'm more scared of the bomb.”
Two cold war kids on a horsehair mattress
Listened to Shackletons drone…
They were hunting the subs in the North East Atlantic
And we were too scared to go home.
But Sally wasn't up the duff
And the Berlin wall tumbled down soon enough.
I got birthday cards…but not this year.
Just an odd little jigsaw in a Bandaid box.
“Alan has left us.
The kids miss their Dad.
Kevin's alright for a laugh though he's a bit of a twat.
My kids six months pregnant…she's never at home.
And I'm nearly fifty years old and you know I'm still scared of the bomb.”
“I think you loved me… well I wanted you.
Though we never said so…
That would have been cruel
And what was that plane called we heard every night?
The one you said watched over us.
Sometimes I miss the bomb.”