JUDITH AND THE MUTT AND YOU BY THE BIG POND.A Poem by Terry CollettA BOY AND GIRL AND DOG ON A WALK IN 1962You met Judith in the woods at the back of the cottage you had the mutt with you taking it for a walk on the lead in case it ran off she was by the small pond in her summer dress her hair tied back by a dark blue ribbon why did you bring your dog? she asked the parents said she needed to stretch her legs you replied looking beyond her at the small pond where you used to sit trying to fish but caught nothing where shall we go? she asked let’s go sit by the small lake (as you called the large pond) and we can sit and talk what about your dog? oh she’ll be ok I can tie her lead to the nearest tree she’ll have room to move around and sniff and root out insects if she likes you said I bet you say that to all the girls Judith said and laughed and you smiled and took in her laughter and the way she laughed her eyes brightening up her lips parting like a breaking dawn and taking your spare hand she walked you through the woods stepping over brambles and fallen branches to get to the outer fence which she climbed over but you climbed through and the mutt walked under and as you walked across the field to the lake she said I hope no one saw us the other day when we did those things why what makes you think they did? you asked holding the mutt in check as it tried to run off just something my mother said before I came out this morning when I said I was meeting you oh you said was she on the war path? no but it was the way she said it as if she knew something about us or me and you and that day and where we were a rook flew overhead a black flap of wings a loud call shouldn’t think so you said watching the rook fly off the mutt barking maybe she was just trying to dig out something or maybe she just thinks the worst of me you said maybe Judith said and became silent as you both moved towards the large pond ( the lake as you called it) and sat down after tying the mutt to the nearest tree where it sat staring at you both with its dark eyes as Judith laid her head on your shoulder staring out at the skin of water on the pond and the slight shimmer where dragonflies came and went on the surface and whispered I love you which vibrated along your shoulder and into your heart and you couldn’t see a time you’d not be together or ever this side of death be apart. © 2013 Terry Collett |
StatsAuthorTerry CollettUnited KingdomAboutTerry Collett has been writing since 1971 and published on and off since 1972. He has written poems, plays, and short stories. He is married with eight children and eight grandchildren. on January 27t.. more..Writing
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