BREAKING SILENCE 1957.A Poem by Terry CollettA BOY AND GIRL IN LONDON IN 1957Enid waits for me at the school gates after school- she'd not spoken to me during playtime recess- she looks at me through her thick lens spectacles and I see her lips are till slightly swollen sorry about last night my mum was too frightened to let me out to play as my dad was in one of his moods she says how comes you didn't speak to me at recess? I ask because he'll ask me when he gets home if I've been speaking to you at school today she says how will he know if you speak to me or not? because he knows I can't lie to him he peers at me and the truth blurts out of me I'm too simple to lie he says Enid says what about now won't he say today and not mention school? she bites her lower lip never thought of that we walk on together anyway he won't know just tell him a created truth I say she looks puzzled how do I do that? she asks just focus on a bit of truth and make it the whole truth just tell him no I haven't spoken to Benny at school today I'm not sure I can she says it's either that or another thumping from him I say we go through to London Road as I want to show her the man in the pie and eel shop chopping off the heads of eels and chopping them up into small pieces when we get there and watch the man she says how awful how can he? that's his job I expect he's used to it now we walk on and she says I'll try and do as you say about telling the truth but he looks at me so I feel frightened and he knows if I'm telling lies we go down the subway and she is silent and I feel sorry for her and the life she has I'll call for you after school and we can go out I say no no she says don't come around or Dad'll go mad I was only joking I say of course I wouldn't least not while he's there she looks at me uncertain I'll just wait and if you can come out then knock on my door and then we can go out she nods and we walk on and up out of the subway and along the New Kent Road passing the cinema then home which isn't far. © 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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