Jenni Fagan

The Second Time

We were crossing bridges.
your side of the river,
my side of the river
on a boat
Gin & London’s finest,
back over again.

I saw your smile
through the crowd
before you got to me,
a flash, a reflex
I wore the stockings
just for you,
on the bus
the looks
in the street
but yours was the one
I was seeking.

There was a band
on the bridge
trumpet going,
our first words
were notes.

Your shoes
clicked
and later
in the hotel room
I listened to the street
waiting to hear that click,
re-prints staring
at me laying on the bed.

Jenni Fagan is a Scottish poet and novelist based in London. Her poetry collection Urchin Belle is out now on Blackheath Books. She's been published in various places online and off, including Brand, Paris Bitter Hearts Pit, BTD, 3AM, Tate Modern and Pulp among others.