Encountering Lizbeth 1961 Poem by Terry Collett

Your school bus is early
Lizbeth said
as she met me
by the school gates

different driver
the other one's off sick
with gut problems
I said

other kids on the bus
walked past
my sister with a friend of hers
the kid from along the lane
who bugged me
who one day I'd thump

we can be alone
for a minute or so then
she said

and taking the sleeve
of my jacket
she moved me along
by the wire fence
and leaned me
against the wire playfully

do you think about me?
she said
peering at my eyes

sometimes
I said

only sometimes?
I think of you
all the time

all the times?
I said
even on the bog?

she smiled
especially when I'm
on the bog as you call it
she said

Hi Lizbeth
a girl said
as she passed by
Lizbeth nodded to her
but said nothing

in bed at night I do
and waking up
you're the first thing
I think of
she said

she released my sleeve
and stood beside me

I suppose you're thinking
of the Virgin Jane
Lizbeth said

I think of all things
I said

such as?
she said

about the farm
and cows
and birds in the book
I have
and which one
I'll see that day
and butterflies
that I may spot

enough already
Lizbeth said
God you will bore
the knickers off me
if you go on
not that I'd mind that
but not here
in the bloody playground
at school

you asked me
what I thought about
I said

well other than that then?
she said
do you think of me at all?

sometimes
I said

when?

now and then

when?

when I'm thinking
of nothing else
I said

Benny you're a bore
and a tease
do you ever think
about me in a sexual way?

I looked at her
standing there
red hair in a pony tail
eyes gazing at me
her lips and her small
breasts the impression
in her school blouse

not much
I said

but you do sometimes?

I nodded

she smiled
I think of you all the time
sexually in school
in lessons
at home while eating
in bed while dreaming
and now standing here
next to you
she said

she touched my hand softly
the bell rang
for the start of school

must go
I said

she squeezed my hand tighter
all the time
she said

she released my hand
and walked over
to the girl's playground
and I walked into
the boy's ground
and looked back
and she was swaying off
in the way she did
hips moving side to side
and I watched her go off
and sighed.