He’d been hurrying to the station, hunched in his greatcoat.
Collar turned up against the driving snow.
She’d been walking home from a nightshift.
He rounded the corner and stopped so suddenly
He fell flat on his back in the snow.
Winded, he lay for a moment, then reached up a gloved hand
Gasping, “Hope……”

She had smiled, “What do you hope Sergeant?
He regained his feet brushing snow from his coat.
‘No, Sergeant Alan Hope, Miss. Sorry if I startled you.’
Only then had he noticed the twinkling green eyes
And the smile which lit up her face.
His train forgotten, he had begun to talk to her.

She sat by the fireside, holding her cup
And stared at the photograph on the mantelpiece.
The happy couple were leaving the church
Surrounded by boys in RAF uniform and her friends and family.
She glanced at the window, outside, the snow fell again.
Her hair was grey now but the laughter lines still showed
Beneath the green eyes.

Her pupils down the years often wondered why
Miss lived alone, when most of the other teachers were married
And occasionally had a far away look in her eyes
When the snow began to fall.