HERE AND THERE. 1970

A BOY AND GIRL CAMPING IN SPAIN IN 1970

I lay on the grass
by the tent
at the San Sebastian
base camp

warm sun
other tents all around
Miriam beside me
hands behind her head

sunglasses
tight curled
red-hair
music on the loudspeakers

some Spanish stuff
how'd you sleep?
she asked
eyes closed

I said
no how did you sleep
good or bad?
she said

not bad
the ex army guy
yakked a lot
about his mother's

new boyfriend
and how they
don't get on
(the ex army guy

and the mother's
boyfriend)
is he jealous?
Miriam asked

no idea
his problem not mine
but he will yak so
I said

how about you?
I asked
giving Miriam
a sideways glance

some Yorkshire girl
she don't say much
but when she does
I can't understand

what she's saying
I asked her
if she had a boyfriend
and she said

feckless can
gerr eur lad
I smiled
which one is she?

I asked
big boned girl
with blonde hair
in bunches

Miriam said
O her
I said
she's not bad looking

but not as good as me
Miriam said
raising her highbrows
of course not

I said
Miriam smiled
and lay her hands
on her stomach

and turned her head
to gaze at me
(but the blonde
Yorkshire lass

had a nice a*s)
maybe we should
match up the ex-army
with the blonde?

I said
then we can
share my tent
Miriam frowned

then said
can't see it myself
the blonde
and ex-army together

shame
I said
do you always
think of sex?

Miriam asked
giving me
her stare
not always

sometimes I think
of booze and art
and music
here and there.