Like Wild Seas 1980 Poem by Terry Collett

Rachel's there
beside me
on the train;

she's looking
at the scene
passing by.

Her blond hair
flows over
her shoulders

like water;
it catches
my vision

as she turns.
On our way
eloping

from our home
and parents:
her father

my mother;
step brother
step sister.

When will they
realize
we have gone?

Rachel asks.
I ponder,
thinking of

yesterday
when Mother
told me off

coming out
of Rachel's
pink bedroom.


I don't know
what you were
doing there

in Rachel's
pink bedroom,
Mother said,

but I don't
want to see
you in there.

I look at
Rachel's eyes
at how they

stare at me.
I don't know
when they'll know

that we've gone,
but we're here
together

and they're there
without us.
We almost

went further
last evening
than kissing

and holding,
but held back.
But maybe

tonight when
we're alone
in Scotland

in some room,
we'll make love.
The odd man

opposite
Rachel on
the train stares

at us both,
as if he
knew about

our love flight.
I stare at
him until

his dark eyes
look away
and my eyes

meet Rachel's,
and see there
two small men

gazing back
and it's me
in those eyes

which are deep
like wild seas.