I rested for over an hour that day

The trains were late

This was due to the heat

The birds in the bushes

Sang in harmony

Or so it seemed

The state of the world

Was of no concern to them

An elderly couple

And their five grandchildren

Waited in the shade shelter

And chatted to a businessman

In a cool grey suit

About the journey to Colchester

Where they both lived

The journey is getting harder

They said

And this heat does not help

The youngest grandchild

A girl of about fourteen

Held her grandfather’s hand

Deep down she knew that he would not witness her marriage

And this saddened her

His brain was beginning to fade

There was a frailty in his eyes

Her childhood was coming to an end

She would be a woman soon

But he would not be there

The couple’s daughter looked at her eldest child

Lesley-Anne aged twenty-five

She was pregnant with twins

And was longing to step into the shower

The day was heavy and so was she

I will be back tomorrow

Colchester is not that far

But the railways are so complicated

Please feed your father as you know how lazy he is

In the distance I heard the rumble of a high speed train

Passing through the final fields of Berkshire

Soon it was in view

And then it screamed through the summer station

I caught the glances of the people heading towards Exeter

They looked at me

It was unlikely that we would meet again and we accepted that

Peace returned and the disturbed air regained its slumber

Nothing stirred apart from the wings of the birds

As they navigated their way to and from the time striken wharf

The businessman in the cool grey suit

Had taken his leave of the family with a polite smile

And was sitting on a bench not far from me

He was working on his lap-top

Deadlines were pressing

Remove your tie man

Embrace the day

Enjoy your journey

I said quietly to him

I am translating the Rubaiyat

Don’t you know young man?

That this is a mask

I am the Astronomer-poet of Persia

And with that he closed his eyes

The station was beginning to fill

Shoppers starting and shoppers returning

Schoolchildren free for the day

On the opposite platform

Near the wooden grey shelter

A man waited for his first love

A girl called Annie

They had been chatting on-line

And now after a number of years apart

She was visiting him in his Bedwyn home

He had been successful and his company had prospered

But she had flitted

From job to job

And man to man

He was lonely

Success comes at a price

But hey I am only thirty-seven

And maybe we can rekindle our former years

Annie had just left Hungerford

A pleasant town

She looked at the road leading up the hill

I wish I was in Salisbury holding his hand

I would never release my grip

We would visit the cathedral

And take tea in the sun

I would like him to cup me in his hands

And protect me as I am so tired

The train from London arrived without much ceremony

I had closed my eyes and when I opened them again the train was heading west

Towards the quiet bay

Near the ancient church

Where the driver would change ends

And after a mug of tea

Would travel towards the railway station again

And pick up his passengers

For Colchester and London

Newbury and Reading abd other places unkown to me

This was his final run of the day

And then home to Neasden

Grim grim Neasden

How he ached for Bedwyn pure

But it was not to be

Only Shire people lived in the Shire villages

And he was a Londoner through and through

He loosened his blue tie

And asked me if I was boarding the train

No I am waiting for the evening

Before I return home

I could almost walk it

But the sun is so hot

Thank you for your enquiry

And with that the train moved east and was soon out of sight

A pigeon settled on the fence

It looked at me

And asked quietly if I would share my loaf of bread

In exchange for a breath of its tranquillity