Hopeless Seamus 1963 Poem by Terry Collett

Seamus hopes
that the girl
Moran will
(he's heard she
maybe will)
have a touch
and a kiss
maybe more

he sees her
by the fence
standing there
moodily

other kids
going home
from the school
walking past
the wire fence

she sees him
approaching
his swagger
the dark hair
snotty nose

how are ya?
Seamus asks

who's asking?
Mary says
eyeing him
her satchel
by her feet

you now me
I'm Seamus
he replies
taking in
her fine eyes
her small bust

what you want?
Mary says
walking on

he follows
how about
you and me
meeting up?
Seamus asks

we've met up

I mean some
place after
school where we
can do things
Seamus says

what you mean
by do things?
Go to church?
Kiss a nun?
Go visit
the sick ones
or the poor?
Mary says
monotone

I thought of
something more
Seamus says
maybe us
touching up
kissing such

I'd rather
smell a pig's
foul behind
than kiss you
or let you
touch my skin
Mary says
her voice hard
(thinking of
Magdalene's
hands on her
and kissing
a day back)

up you then
prick teasing
Moran girl
fecking tart
he walks off
fingering
signs to her

hope you get
warts on yours
Seamus Doyle
Mary calls
after him

she walks on
home from school
muttering
to herself
fecking fool.