Quiet Please 1957 Poem by Terry Collett

Quiet please
Mr Finn said.

The class
became quiet.

Benny at the back
with Jupp sat
staring at the blackboard
where the teacher
had written a number
of paragraphs on
the Great Plague
of London 1665
in white chalk
with red chalk
to illustrate names.

I want you now
to copy this down
Mr Finn said.

Jupp raised a hand
in our exercise book?
he said.

Yes in your
exercise book
Mr Finn said
gazing at Jupp
with a sense of pity.

Benny gazed
at the blackboard
with a sense
of excitement
(rare for him)
and began to copy
in his own scribble
what was written neatly
on the blackboard.

Jupp whispered
what a bore
who gives a monkey's
about a bloody plague
and especially in 1665
why that's history.

Quiet Jupp
Mr Finn said
pointing at Jupp
with a ruler.

Jupp took up
his pen
and began to write
what was on
the blackboard.

The bit about rats
on the ships
brought to mind
for Benny
the rat he'd seen
on the balcony
back home that day
running swiftly along
by the wall.

The coal man
managed to stamp
on it with his big
black boot
and blood oozed
over the balcony
and his black boot.

Lydia who had been
with him screamed.

Now in class
it seemed unreal
like something
he had dreamed.