for Diane
They liked church

the way we liked Countdown

the man had a moustache

& the woman had one too –

a soft, dark shadow

that haunted her smile
Diane didn't like calling them 'Ma' and 'Pa'

because they weren't – we learnt

we had the same hierarchy of crushes

on TV Week poster boys

(over Jatz and Kraft

the adults congratulated each other

they'd done us both good)
I gave Diane my favourite pink jeans

because after she put them on

they looked so good on her

they weren't my favourites anymore
When I asked her about the couple

& their pair of moustaches

she put her palm over her smile
When I asked about her real parents

the answer was something heavy

she lifted it slowly with her shoulders

& her palm was still

covering her mouth.