Basingstoke Station

When I started that job
the weather was warm.
I didn't have anywhere to live
so after work I slept
under the bushes
outside Basingstoke Station.
I was young then
so appreciated the cold fresh air
that poured over me as I slept.
I'd get up and go for a swim
in the pool beneath
the old shopping centre,
then wait for the minibus
that took us out
to the factory on the edge of town.
When I got a room in a shared house,
I felt I couldn't breathe clearly.
When the rain started,
I felt relieved
to have a bed for the night.