I saw Janice
sitting at the front
of class
beside another girl.
I was at the back
of class
with Cardamom.
Janice had her fair hair
tied with a red ribbon
at the back.
Cardamom smelt
of the unwashed.
Mr Finn talked
of Saxons and Angles
and raids and pillaging.
I watched as Mr Finn
chalked on the black board,
his fingers holding
the chalk tight.
Guess what I saw?
Cardamom said quietly,
leaning his head
towards me.
No what?
I said.
Two kids kissing
in the bog,
he said.
I liked Janice's fair hair
tied with the red ribbon.
Cardamom talked on
about who they were:
fecking kissing,
he said,
two boys.
I nodded,
but said nothing.
I watched Mr Finn's chalk
bring a Saxon to life.
Then wondered
if it was drawn
from memory
or from his head,
from life maybe
his sour-faced wife.
Jan 8, 2017
Jan 8, 2017 at 9:12 AM UTC
I saw Janice
sitting at the front
of class
beside another girl.
I was at the back
of class
with Cardamom.
Janice had her fair hair
tied with a red ribbon
at the back.
Cardamom smelt
of the unwashed.
Mr Finn talked
of Saxons and Angles
and raids and pillaging.
I watched as Mr Finn
chalked on the black board,
his fingers holding
the chalk tight.
Guess what I saw?
Cardamom said quietly,
leaning his head
towards me.
No what?
I said.
Two kids kissing
in the bog,
he said.
I liked Janice's fair hair
tied with the red ribbon.
Cardamom talked on
about who they were:
fecking kissing,
he said,
two boys.
I nodded,
but said nothing.
I watched Mr Finn's chalk
bring a Saxon to life.
Then wondered
if it was drawn
from memory
or from his head,
from life maybe
his sour-faced wife.
