Elaine And Puzzlement 1962 Poem by Terry Collett

I sit next
to my sister
on the coach
to school.

She is talking
to her friends nearby.

I look out
the window.

The radio is on
playing pop music.

There is talk
around me
like a babble
of sounds.

Fields and trees
and hedgerows
pass by
cottages
and country lanes.

I wonder if
John is looking
over at me?
he was when I
first looked over
after getting
on the coach
and he smiled
and I smiled.

But I don't know
whether
to look again.

If he is looking
and I blush
and my sister sees him
she'll joke about me
blushing to her friends.

The sky is dull
it looks like rain.

I hope it doesn't
I want to see John
on the field if I can.

Shall I look over?
I want to
but what if he is?
I try not to blush
but can't help it.

The bus stops
to let other
school kids on
they clamber aboard
like pirates
onto our ship.

They sit
more talk
laughter
from the back.

I wish
I wasn't so shy.

I look over
John's looking at me
and smiles
I smile.

I feel myself blush
and look away
and stare
at the sky.