Sex Book Returned 1961 Poem by Terry Collett

Here is your book back,
Lizbeth says
to the girl
at school
who had lent it
to her.

The girl takes
the book
and hides it
in her satchel.

Read it?
The girl asks.

Yes all of it,
Lizbeth says.

What do you think?
The girl says.

It was educational,
Lizbeth says.

Had any luck
with that boy yet?
The girl asks.

No not yet,
Lizbeth says,
wishing she had.

Give it time,
he will,
they're weak
like that,
the girl says.

My mother
found the book,
Lizbeth says.

The girl stares at her.
Did you say
who gave it
to you?

Of course not,
Lizbeth says.

What did
she say?

We had a row
and my father said
to bring it back.

Did he want
to read
the sex book?

No,
says Lizbeth,
he's not like that.

Look I best go
and hide this book
in my locker
until after school.

OK,
Lizbeth says.

See you around,
the girl says
and goes off.

Lizbeth says goodbye
to the book
in her head,
wishing to hell
she could get
Benny in bed.