Me and Vera used to
go dancing Saturday
One night I said to her
I’m just off to the bar,
do you want anything?
Yes, she said, bring me back
a handsome man, she said
but I went one better
and come back with a pair

That’s him in the photo
nods to the mantelpiece
a black and white picture
of a demob suit and
pattern dress, ducking out
a church door, arm in arm,
like the links of a chain
newly struck on old stones
running out to the light