Something Missing 1959 Poem by Terry Collett

I walked with one-legged Anne
on the lawn of the nursing home
after breakfast and medication
and we sat on two chairs
at the near end of the lawn
around the round
white metal table

hey Kid
she said
have seen my clitoris
about any place?

I frowned
no don't think so
(I had no idea
what she meant)
have you lost it?
I said

yes can't find it
no where
she said

have you asked the nuns
if they've seen it?
I said

no wouldn't ask them nothing
she said
you know what those
penguins are like
they'd want to know
the ins and out of things
and how I lost it
and where I'd seen it last

I looked back towards
the nursing home
maybe you dropped it
some place
I said

yes maybe I did
Anne said

other kids came out
in the garden
some on the swings
and some on the slide

maybe they
might have seen it?
I said

maybe
Anne said
why don't you ask
one of them

ask Colm he might
have seen it
I said

she called Colm over
he came reluctantly
he didn't like Anne at all

what is it?
He said

Anne's lost her clitoris
I said

her what?
Colm said

clitoris
I said

what the heck's that?
He said

(I pretended to know)
you must know
I said

go ask the nuns
Anne said
maybe they've seen it

Colm looked at her
is it missing then?
He said

yes can't find it no place
Anne said

he looked at her
I'll ask Sister Bridget
she might have seen it
Colm said and walked
off towards the nursing home
and went inside

Anne shook her head
and said
hope he finds out
and laughed

then I vaguely remembered
what the clitoris was
a thing she showed me
one evening
while she bathed.