Tuck Box

My tuck box was blue and had two catches

like an ammo box, secured with a pad lock

and containing all that I now owned in the world.

You were allowed to accompany me to the

windowless bare study smaller than our

downstairs loo, which I was to share with Henn,

until it was time to shake hands, tight lipped

as I watched you walk away along the corridor

and back to the real world that you owned.

In a very short time I’d shut the pad lock key inside

and to my shame you were summoned from sherry

with the house master and armed with a pair of pliers

you forced the lock with a shaking hand and I think

I knew then, that this was hard for you too and I cried

for the first time, and didn’t want you to go again.

John H Davies

4^th July 2011