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--chosen-work--
Grand-dad Smith
Privet hedges were the norm
shared front yards in our terrace
mini-gardens fathers absent for a whiole
or for forever leaving awful loss
wives and children left to cope
I was very young but little
quiet Linda younger was my neighbour
for a while with mothers part-time working
and her father gone for good
she needed friemdship but our
age gap was unkind
Grandad Smith looked after Linda through
the day-long idle houirs sitting
in his wicker chair
A not-unfriendly man but speaking little as you passed
good morning or goodbye was all he gave
He was still of serving age
neighbours would have wondered why
he wasn't at the front or inreserve
I never saw him cuddle Linda
ever soothe her when she cried
perhaps it was because when he
came home once from France
many years before
he left one arm behind