Tilly's Lies 1965 Poem by Terry Collett

I had just got in
from work.

My mother
was at the stove cooking.

Odd that you and Benny
were at Richmond
at the same time
and you never met
my mother said.

I didn't know
he was going
to be there
I said
I was looking after
Uncle's house
while he was away.

She looked at me
her eyes scanning me
I knew she didn't
believe me
but she had no proof
we had met
just her intuition.

The radio was on
in the background
some classical stuff.

The clock on
the mantelshelf
was ticking.

I hope you never
met with him
she said.

Of course not
I lied
putting on my
innocent gaze.

It would be
a betrayal of your
Uncle's trust
to have taken
him there.

Taken who where?
I said
wanting to go upstairs
and wash and change.

That boy Benny
back at Uncle's house
she said.

I wouldn't
dream of it
I lied
pushing thoughts
of Benny and me
having sex in the bed
for the second time
in an hour.

Best get changed
for dinner
she said
looking at me
the way she had
when she didn't
believe me.

I went upstairs
leaving her to stew
I wouldn't confess
there was nothing
she could do.