Xavier's Girlfriend 1961 Poem by Terry Collett

Xavier
was the posh kid
in the top steam
at high school.

His girlfriend
was a dream
brain dream
night dream
wet dream.

He talked to me
about knives
a Waffen SS one
brought back
by his old man
from WW2.

A Japanese
curved one
and a flick knife
his cousin
gave him
from some hood
in the City
and others
I forgot as soon
as he said.

Have you
any knives?
he asked.

Just a penknife
I said
what's your
girlfriend's name?

He gazed at me
Penelope
he replied
we live close by
and go to the same
tennis club
and last month
went on holiday
to Corfu
with our parents
of course.

I didn't doubt
one moment
the parents
would be around.

He walked off
with a chump
named Giles.

But his girlfriend
shared my dreams
dry and night
dry and wet
and no parents
about
in my dreams
of me
and Penelope.