SHYLY SMILEDA Poem by Terry CollettA SHY GIRL AT SCHOOL AND A BOY CALLED JOHN 1962She shyly smiled. Bespectacled, with white blouse and loose fitting tie, she waited by the wall, sitting, ankle socks, black shoes, laced. John passed with Rennie, hands in pockets, talking about Mr S in P.E and the lengths the guy'll go to make his authority felt and the country run later that day. Sheila watched him go. Her thin wired spectacles enlarging him and focusing him up for her. She wanted to follow and ask him if she could hang out with him, but she feared rejection and so sat and watched instead until he and Rennie were on the school playing field during recess. She played with her fingers, looked around the grounds, watched other girls pass by, braver, more confident than she, more aware of their worth or what they had to offer. Wear this, her mother said, wear that, don't sit so, keep your knees together in the presence of boys and men while sitting. John, she watched, on the playing field with the boy called Rennie, taking in his walk, his gesture with hands, his nod of head or and how the quiff of hair, can drive her to despair, and maybe much beside, if her mother's dominance wasn't there inside. © 2015 Terry Collett |
AuthorTerry 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
|