Each Eye To Eye 1963 Poem by Terry Collett

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.