MORE THRILLING 1962

A GIRL AND HER THOUGHTS ON A BOY IN 1962

Yehudit polished
the brass pieces
her mother had set
her to do.

Piece of cloth
and some Brasso
her mother
gave her to use.

Her mother was in
the garden weeding
the vegetable beds.

Her sister was in
the kitchen
peeling potatoes.

Yehudit thought of Benny
and how they listened
to Elvis on his record player
in his room
lying on his bed.

His mother downstairs
preparing dinner.

The radio playing.

Rubbed the brass piece.

Sat in the chair
wishing Benny
was there.

Kissed on his bed.

Nothing else
in case his young brother
came into the room
from his games outside.

She rubbed hard
wishing the brass thingy gone.

There were two photo
of Marilyn Monroe
in his room.

She'd died recently
and he said
he felt choked.

The woman in
the black and white photos
looked out
and smiled at her.

She put
the brass piece down
and went to the window
and looked out
at her mother
weeding the bed
with her back bent.

Brass rubbing wasn't
her favourite pastime.

They lay there
on his bed.

Elvis singing
with guitars playing.

His mother hadn't minded
them in his room.

No inquisition
like her mother
would do if
(by God's luck)
he came to her place
or room.

Soft kiss.

Lips on lips.

Wet and warm.

She'd felt
weird after.

Wanted more.

That boy David
up the road
would have wanted more
at least he seemed to
want more whenever
she spoke to him
which was rare
as she didn't
like him much.

I'll give you a bob
if you let me see
your b***s
he had said
once at the bus stop
to school.

She hadn't.

Not for a shilling.

Benny had seen more
for nothing.

Elsewhere not
in his room.

Too risky what
with his brother
maybe coming in
and his mother
downstairs.

Just in case.

The boy David
could stick his shilling.

Kissing Benny
was more thrilling.