NEAR TO HIS GRACE.

[dadio]

Nima waits
by the Embankment
of the Thames
she has a few hours

freedom
a few hours to do
as she pleases
(within reason)

the doctors said
OK but no
needle pushing
no pill popping

and so she agreed
and was on her way
although the ward sister
wasn't pleased

she didn't like
her wordiness
her being
too up front

for lying
on her bed at night
fingering her cunt
thinking of Naaman

but she went anyway
took the train
and sits waiting
having put

on the all
too tight dress
(her father's words
on his rare visits)

and the tight top
with yellow birds
and she watches
the water flowing

the boats and barges
and the occasional
row boat going by
and then he's there

having come out
the tube station
concerned looking
his hair dark

and groomed
the jeans
and open necked shirt
been waiting long?

he asks
yes been almost
picked up twice
as a whore

she says
told them
go fuck themselves
he looks at her

and beyond
the river's dullness
buses passing by
cars

motorcycles
lorries
the city alive
sorry about that

he says
train delays
she smiles
no matter

you're here now
how long
have you got?
he asks

a few hours of grace
she says
the doctors were good
said I could come

although the ward sister
the whore
almost put her oar in
but here I am

all yours
well for a while
at least
so where are we going?

how about a coffee
in the park
and a lay down
on the grass to chat

and smooch and relax
no art or cinema
or record shops
or window shopping

he says
or sex
she says
no place

unless you want to
want to have ago
in the bushes
or maybe be daring

and have it away
on a park bench?
she smiles
no coffee

and a chat will do
he says
besides
I don't perform well

in public
and so they walk up
the road
and cross

by Trafalgar Square
and on down
and into the park
she talking about

dying for a fix
and other things
and he talking about
his boring job

the sitting
and drilling holes
into metal
or the pressing

of two sides
of metal together
and how he'd heard
the new Beatles' LP

something about
a Doctor Pepper
they buy two coffees
and talk on

she gazing at his hair
the eyes staring at her
his mouth opening
and closing

bringing her words
his fingers touching hers
his having dark hairs
along the fingers

hers none
white
thin
good for fingering

and he studying
her eyes
seeing himself there
in that darkness

in that faraway place
far from God's kingdom
but near(he thinks)
to His grace.