She sits in a straight-backed chair

She sits in a straight-backed chair

At a table facing the door

China teapot steaming

Another cup waiting

A Polly-wally-doodle dog,

With kind eyes and a soft tongue

Hanging out

Of the side of his mouth,

Lies at her feet.

He stirs at the mention of bacon

Otherwise, he just waits

As does she

Some days she looks brighter than others

Most of the time she is beige.

Her face, waxy and stern

Always the same

As if she was stifling her pain.

Although some say it was sadness

They saw in her eyes

Others were sure she was angry.

Every day she would come

To sit by the door

From three until four

A pot of tea and a scone

Water for the dog.

The waitress in her frilly top

And little doily hat on top

Always fed the mutt a treat

Sometimes she sat in a seat

Hoping the woman would speak

But she never did.

Old Fred, the handyman

Who sat on the tailgate

At the back of his van

As he ate a cold steak pie

From out of a can

He put in a hot oven

Every morning

Fray Bentos was the name on the tin,

How on earth

Did they get so much in?

It is now owned by Baxters

Whomever they may be

But he was always a mine of

Useless facts and information,

Said they were a Scottish company.

The woman was waiting for her man

Not that her name was Nico,

But he was a soldier

Who had never come home

And she was the lover

He had met taking tea

At three

When he was on leave

From the front line.

Although that war was long over

She had never given up hope

He would return

And until she knew for certain

He was gone

She would always

Keep waiting.

He had been the brightest sun

In her summer sky

And she had been left

With stars in her eyes

And the greatest of expectations.