That sort of Street (final version)

Red, wood and graphite                                 
sharpened at the other end                                
 a paper sheet  writing ,                      
drawing simple  messages.                                
leaning on the  desk.                      
my books beneath the lid,                                
An ink-well on the right              
A mix of  water and black powder                
teachers .theirs from a bottle                
'Stevens' on the label.                      
red,permanent,. the mark  7/10 ,                      
because of blots and spelling.                            
Teachers  unmarried ladies                          
It was the 30s    (peace a mere 20 years)'                          
Their dreams at Ypres.                       
The head was Mr.Scaife             ...  ...  ...                          
It was built in the early 1930s                                 
Joyce sat beside me,lived at 11.                                
I left for grammar-school. Joyce did not.                                
We lived next-door at 13.                                
until our 'teens,playing                                
with Ken and Peter Holmes.                                
That's how it was .                            
The other side even numbered                              
Wheatley ,Gregory.  I forget the rest.                              
It was that sort of street.                                
Privet hedges every side.                                
Elms planted in the 20s Dead by 1940.                                
Elm disease,  the street left bare.                            
as any street today, But they had tried                    
That's how it was.            .                    
Privet at the front                                
The gates are gone,                      
Four sash windows at the front,                          
Concrete posts and wire, wash post                      
ash and cinder path at the back .                             
Three up and two down..                            
It is that sort of street.                
They bombed the other end               
Burnt a house and killed a dog.                      
Odd numbers this side, even on the other                                
Grass verges  gone, asphalt crumbling curbs.                                
At least they'd tried.                      
It was that sort of street .                               
The pencil sharpened many times  
the stub lies in my pocket,
sharpened either end  
flakes of wood in the sharpener  
clamped to teacher's desk .                               
Desks  now modern tables.                                                       
Joyce dispersed with the rest,                                
Never met again. lost touch                          
It was that sort of street .                          
So with her sisters ,                         
Margaret, Pat and Dorothy                        
and there was Fred.                          
Pat became a nurse,                         
We all did  fairly well,                      
As well as was  expected                         
in that sort of street..                          
Their father drove a Naafi van                          
Some times I went with him                          
There was a war and aerodromes. .                          
There always was a  war.                            
At least they'd tried..                      
It was that sort of street.      .