Rosary
fingering
Martha sits
in the church
eyeing up
the young priest
who's just come
tall and thin
and dark haired
in the front
pew praying
she watches
no longer
fingering
the dark beads
getting up
from her pew
she walks down
to the priest
kneeling there
taps his black
cloth shoulder
excuse me
Father Bede
(she'd heard his
name mentioned
in the school)
the young priest
opens his eyes
stares at her
(he's nice eyes
she muses)
what is it
my young child?
the priest asks
sitting back
on the seat
Martha sits
beside him
do you know
just how tall
the Christ was?
she asks him
the tall priest
looks at her
looking for
a punchline
some meaning
no idea
probably
6 foot so
he tells her
quite tall then
she mutters
tall as me
no taller
he informs
her priestly
and had beard
and moustache?
she asks him
he studies
her two eyes
soul's mirrors
he's been told
probably
black and long
he tells her
why'd you ask?
he asks her
I'm to be
when older
one of his
many brides
Martha says
I love Him
think of Him
all the time
Father Bede
lends a smile
o that's good
(wondering
to himself
if the girl's
the full pack)
but do I
if some prat
of a boy
asks for sex
tell him to
go feck off?
she utters
sincerely
Father Bede
blushes so
puts the word
from his ears
best he can
remain pure
for Our Lord
as His bride
he informs
red in face
so I will
Martha says
and walks off
swaying hips
the thin priest
watches her
walk away
red faced still.
This poem has not been translated into any other language yet.
I would like to translate this poem