Magdalene's parents are out
him to work and her shopping
and so she brings Mary
back to listened
to Billy Fury
on the Hi-Fi
in her room
and sip some of her ma's vodka
and smoke the cigarettes
Mary borrowed
from her da's pack
they sit on the single bed
feet tapping
so how's things with your da?
Mary says
strained
Magdalene says
he has a tone of voice
he keeps just for me
she inhales smoke
from the cigarette
shame
my da's seems
to have forgotten
about it now
either that or he's
given up on me
Mary says
looking at the cigarette
between two of her fingers
smoke rising
Magdalene exhales smoke
into the room
I had a job to get
this fecking LP
Ma bought it for me
for my 14th birthday
she holds up the LP
Halfway To Paradise it reads
wish I was halfway to paradise
Mary says
instead of halfway to Hell
according to the nuns at school
this could be our
halfway to paradise here
Magdalene says
gazing her cigarette
watching the smoke
lift ceiling-wards
how comes here?
Mary says
looking sideways
at Magdalene
us here on my bed
music playing
vodka and all
Magdalene says
turning to look at Mary
what if your parents return
and we're in bed?
Mary says
Da's at work
and Ma's shopping in Dublin
takes her hours to shop there
Magdalene says
Mary muses
on the record cover
holds it between fingers
don't know
seems risky to me
Magdalene drinks back
her vodka and puts
the empty glass
on the bedside table
next to the statue of Our Lady
and stumps out
the cigarette butt
in the ashtray she'd bought
up from the lounge
our chance to be closer
Magdalene says
Mary stubs out
her cigarette butt in the ashtray
and gulps back the vodka
and puts the glass
next to Magdalene's
nearly got this far with
that O'Brien kid
only I didn't fancy him
and just played him along
then slapped his face
and walked out
passing his ma on the stairs
and she gave me
one of her looks
and I was gone
Mary says
glad you did
Magdalene says
wonder what his ma'd say
if she found you two
at it on his bed?
God forbid the thought
Mary says
Magdalene leans in close
and kisses her
a hand on her thigh
both gazing at each
eye to eye.
This poem has not been translated into any other language yet.
I would like to translate this poem