Manchester

Nostalgia will hit you
some days
And you will remember Sean
and Odoley
And arguing about One Republic's song
who heard it first and who likes it most

Sometimes you will remember your room
in Opal Court
the quiet interior of warmth on a terrifying winter night
watching Monk and eating green pea soup
And you will long for England
And the coldness
the dampness
the vacant eyes of strangers on a crowded bus

Sometimes you'll remember sitting in classes
learning things you're sure you could just have googled
Lunch at the cafeteria;
jacket potatoes, baked beans and cheese
It will all seem like decades ago
The John Rylands Library
Writing coursework on noisy computer keyboards
Coloured highlighters
Multiple breaks to the vending machine
Overnight stays during exams
Flirting because you were cute and the boys knew it
One boy falling for you and you not falling back
because timing, because fear

Manchester
Were cold, wet, glorious days