Sister The Fool 1962 Poem by Terry Collett

God’s way is hard
Sheila’s big sister said
but that is what
I want to do

and be a nun
Sheila tied her school tie
and let her sister yak
in the background

to her thoughts of John
and pretended he
had been there
in her bedroom

as she had dressed
(not watching her sister)
his hazel eyes
scanning her she imagined

especially after
her strip wash
not sure which convent yet
the sister went on

but one strict
and far from human
touch or noise
Sheila stood in front

of the dressing table mirror
and gazed at herself
pushing her sister’s words
from her as best she could

but if John
had been scanning her
she knew she’d have blushed
and hid her naked self

with a towel or dressing gown
despite one part of herself
thinking it
and boys

the sister said
have to be watched
they are usually after
the one thing

Sheila damped a finger
with her tongue
and slid across an eyebrow
thing?

she said
what do you mean
one thing?
o never you mind

that now little sister
just trust to God
and put boys aside
the sister brushed her hair

and set herself
up primly
with the grey dress
thing though

Sheila said
what thing?
ask Mum she’ll say
I expect

the sister said dully
and went out the room
like some drabness on legs
Sheila sighed

and gazed at herself
in the mirror again
adjusted her glasses
on her nose

and thought on John
being at school
and thought unkindly
her sister the fool.