Janice's Paper Boat 1956 Poem by Terry Collett

Janice folds
the paper
as Benny

had shown her
it became
a small boat

she could float
in the bath
in the flat

if her gran
allows her
to float it

in water
for bathing
she holds it

between thumb
and fingers
put that down

her gran says
get undressed
for your bath

the water
is just right
(she had boiled

the water
in the old
steel copper)

Janice puts
the paper
made-up boat

on the side
of the bath
and watches

as she slow
undresses
come along

her gran says
don't day dream
or I'll slap

your backside
8 years old
or older

Janice takes
off clothes
and gets in

the water
can I float
my paper

made-up boat
in the bath
Janice says

if you must
her gran says
steely eyed

that Benny's
contraption
I suppose

he showed me
Janice says
how to make

the small boat
as they both
(Janice and Gran)

watch it float.