YOCHANA AND MEETING 1962A Poem by Terry CollettA BOY AND GIRL MEET ON A SCHOOL PLAYING FIELD IN 1962Yochana passed the maths block along the narrow path onto the sports field during lunch time recess her friend Angela was in the WC sorting out some girl problem I was sitting on the grass looking at some boys play ball nearby Yochana stood over me and said can I sit here with you? I looked up sure why not where's your girlfriend? she's not my girlfriend she's my best friend she replied and sat down next to me I gazed at her hair smooth and black and brought back into two bunches and her glasses were thin wire framed do you smile? she raised her thin eyebrows why? do you only like girls who smile? it helps helps how? makes them seem friendlier she attempted a smile not successfully I looked at the football game why aren't you playing? she asked I'm not much good they're better off without me so there are things you're not good at? I nodded and looked at her yes but some things I am and smiled she looked away for a few moments you have a good profile she looked back at me do I? yes quite refined unlike some of the girls in class who're like peasant stock in contrast she smiled unkind to them but true I said sometimes truth will out she put her hands in her lap and looked past me at the boys and their ball your eyes are like two of my favourite marbles she looked back at me are they? I nodded yes I keep them with me as my good luck charms show me I got out the marbles from my trouser pocket and showed them to her in the palm of my hand can I hold them? sure so she took them into her small thin hand they're warm came from a warm place yes they are like my eyes' colour she gave them back to me and as she did so I held her hand briefly nice hand I said and kissed it she took it back and looked at it why'd you kiss my hand? same reason I kissed your cheek the other week others might have seen and came up with ideas what ideas? well that there's something going on between us and isn't there? she sat back and looked around her not like they might think she said and what might they think? things going on between us what kind of things? just because I like you doesn't mean we're doing things she said keeping her hands out of reach that's true we're not anyway here comes your girlfriend Angela she's not my girlfriend she's a friend she got up and looked at me and smiled -she could smile if she wanted to- and walked off and I studied her narrow frame the legs the waist the neat behind and thanked God I wasn't blind. © 2015 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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