Talk Over Tea Poem by Terry Collett

Talk Over Tea

Rating: 5.0


Her mother poured tea

her father sat talking
about his day at work

her sister sat eating
her jam and cheese sandwich

Elaine sat looking
into space
her eyes vacant

cat got your tongue?
her mother said
gazing at her
the teapot mid-air

her father looked at her
perhaps she found herself
a boyfriend
and smiled

some hopes
her sister said
more chance of you
winning at horses Dad

Elaine blushed
and tried to look
uninterested
in the conversation
such as it was or wasn't

so who's the boy
who's in love
with my Frumpy Hen?
the father said

no boy at all
Elaine said
just thinking

that requires a brain
her sister said
with a mouthful
of jam and cheese
sandwich

her mother said
what boy
I never heard
of a boy?

there is no boy
it's just Dad
having his joke
Elaine said
going red
feeling her body
become hot

I was going to say
you're too young yet
for boys and their
nonsense
you're just 14
why when I
was your age
boys were not
even on the agenda
why my dad'd
strap me one if
he thought I'd been
messing with boys

Elaine couldn't get
a boy to look at her
let alone mess
about with her
her sister said
munching the mouthful

Elaine tried to bring
her heart into
a steady pace
her pulse was racing
she sensed her blood
rushing through her body
like lava down a volcano

I can't imagine
our Elaine with a boy
anyway
her father said
maybe a boy
with a white stick
he joked
with a guide dog

Elaine gazed at her father
and frowned

only joking
my Frumpy Hen
I dare say
you'll get some one
someday

not before she's older
her mother said
sitting at the table
not before she's
much older
can't have a girl
her age with boys
and all they get up to
like that Mrs Kimp's daughter
out all hours with boys
coming along the road
with a boy on her arm
not right and she
no older that Elaine here

Elaine tried to imagine
herself some place else
as she ate a ham sandwich
feeling like gagging
on it

if she was a daughter of mine
I'd give her what for
the mother said
sitting uneasy
on the chair
gazing at Elaine's
young sister
not at Elaine

I'm not thinking
of a boy
Elaine lied
feeling her body unfold
her heart racing along

good job too
her mother said
you're my good girl
giving Elaine a smile
as John crept
into Elaine's thoughts
all the while.

COMMENTS OF THE POEM

just a simple and nice poem about the feelings of members of family about a boy friend, a young teen age girl goes to have.. Thank you for sharing..

1 0 Reply
Pamela Sinicrope 04 June 2017

I enjoy your style of writing. The family conversation while eating. Poo young girl being tormented by her parents and a sibling while she's trying to daydream about a boy....a beginning first love. You've even managed to mix in some family dynamics here that tell allot more of the story about this family and all families.

0 0 Reply
Rajnish Manga 18 April 2017

Very interesting conversation within family members at tea. Everybody is anxious to know if the elder of the two sisters has got a boy friend. Kind of a thriller. Thanks.

0 0 Reply
Abdulrazak Aralimatti 06 October 2015

Verily, a good parent's love and care

1 0 Reply
Lyn Paul 07 May 2015

Wonderful storyline. After all the negative for Elaine I would understand if she ran a way with John. Very much enjoyed. Thank you

2 0 Reply
Jaishree Nair 07 May 2015

The secret of a boyfriend that a teenage girl hides from her family.Thanks for sharing.

1 0 Reply
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