A GOOD CATHOLIC GIRL 1963

A GIRL AND THE PRIEST AT CONFESSIONS IN IRELAND IN 1963.

Mary left the confessional
or kind of sneaked out
as if she'd pick pocketed
the priest's gown

and sat in one
of the church pews
and stared down
at her shoes

Father Joseph seemed
rather quiet after
her confession
no big suggestions

no piles of Hail Marys
or Pater Nosters
or other seemingly
pointless quests

and when she said
about her menstrual cycle
buggering her mind up
so that she did things

she didn't mean to do
he just went mm mm
and she could see
his head nod through

the mesh of the grid
and that thing about
the rumour about himself
(Father Joseph)

and Sister Lucy
was not spread by her(Mary)
but she just happen
to hear it said along

the playground line
the priest had said nothing
about that he seemed
to be elsewhere other than

the dark chair
she looked up from her shoes
and stared at Sister Lucy
tiding the prayer books

on the pews over the way
and wondered if or what
was going on between
her and him or maybe nothing

just girl's gossip as they do
the nun walked on by
eyes downcast
Mary thought about

the penance the priest
had given her for the sins
confessed and contrition shown
(well at least she

seemed contrite)
to read the first letter
of St Paul to the Corinthians
verses 12-21

and pray about what she read
another girl went
into the confessional
and closed the door

it had been dark in there
he sighed a lot
and she smelt a mixture
of pipe tobacco and mothballs

like her da's old suit
brought out
for high days and holidays
she smiled

that thing about the boy
touching her a*s
hung in the air
of the confessional

like a bad smell
no mind
she mused
I'm just a good Catholic girl.