Richmond Replay 1965 Poem by Terry Collett

Tilly went to Richmond
the same time
you went for the day,
Benny's mother said.

Did she?
Benny said,
trying not to react,
trying to pretend
it was news
to him, too.

Yes her mother said
in passing,
his mother said.

Fancy that,
her being there
and me not knowing,
he said.

Yes, but I suppose
it is a big place though,
his mother said.

Yes it is sort of,
Benny said.

His mother carried on
with preparing dinner
and said no more.

But she knows I bet,
Benny mused,
walking out
of the sitting room
and up to his bedroom
to change out
of his work clothes.

Just as well
Tilly's mother didn't know
or there'd be hell to pay,
he mused,
having changed
and standing by the window.

Tilly had stayed
at her uncle's place
while he was away
and Benny had
visited the day
and they looked
around Richmond
then made love in the bed
in the spare room
before he returned
on the bus home.

Birds were in the orchard.

The sun was orange.

The sky a blue
becoming red.

He smiled
as he replayed
the scene with Tilly
in his head.