He first notice Elaine
as she waited
for the school bus
standing there
in the pouring rain
with her younger sister
and other kids
from the village
he noticed
how drowned she looked
her spectacles so wet
she couldn’t see out
her dark hair
hanging limp
about her face
and she looked down
not up
as she climbed
aboard the bus
making her way
down the aisle
of the bus
like some female Crucified
and sat in the seat
by the window
and peered out
her sister sat
next to her
equally as wet
yet unperturbed
laughing at another
who jested
at her state
but Elaine's
was a separate state
a lesser one's fate
knowing other eyes
gazed and sniggered
and whispered
into their hands
but not John
he saw her through
his own eyes
pushed away
the sneers
and sighs
and sniggering japes
and saw a deeper soul
within peering out
through the window glass
that showed
the falling rain
he looked away
taking note of her hair
and eyes
and glasses smeared
and how she pushed
her wet hands
between the caresses
of her knees
and dampened skirt
how by the look
of her face
revealed
her inner hurt
and as the bus
moved off and on
the radio blaring
some Mike Sarne song
the voices of children
competing for the space
and John half listening
to Trevor talk
some such of fishing
with a friend
at pond or river
he did not discern
or Trevor’s sister
across the aisle
chatting of some dress
her mother bought
not the fashion
she complained
but John held close
the image of the girl
who sat behind
across the aisle
whose dampened
state of dress
and soul
had moved his mind
and touched his heart
but said nothing
to either Trevor
with talk of fish
and rod
or Monica's dress
or clothes whatever
it had been
unfashionable or such
as undesired
he looked out
at the passing scene
as the bus raced by
thinking of Elaine
sitting a little way
behind
wiping the raindrops
from glasses
so she could see
and not be
half blind.
Nov 3, 2013
Nov 3, 2013 at 9:02 AM UTC
He first notice Elaine
as she waited
for the school bus
standing there
in the pouring rain
with her younger sister
and other kids
from the village
he noticed
how drowned she looked
her spectacles so wet
she couldn’t see out
her dark hair
hanging limp
about her face
and she looked down
not up
as she climbed
aboard the bus
making her way
down the aisle
of the bus
like some female Crucified
and sat in the seat
by the window
and peered out
her sister sat
next to her
equally as wet
yet unperturbed
laughing at another
who jested
at her state
but Elaine's
was a separate state
a lesser one's fate
knowing other eyes
gazed and sniggered
and whispered
into their hands
but not John
he saw her through
his own eyes
pushed away
the sneers
and sighs
and sniggering japes
and saw a deeper soul
within peering out
through the window glass
that showed
the falling rain
he looked away
taking note of her hair
and eyes
and glasses smeared
and how she pushed
her wet hands
between the caresses
of her knees
and dampened skirt
how by the look
of her face
revealed
her inner hurt
and as the bus
moved off and on
the radio blaring
some Mike Sarne song
the voices of children
competing for the space
and John half listening
to Trevor talk
some such of fishing
with a friend
at pond or river
he did not discern
or Trevor’s sister
across the aisle
chatting of some dress
her mother bought
not the fashion
she complained
but John held close
the image of the girl
who sat behind
across the aisle
whose dampened
state of dress
and soul
had moved his mind
and touched his heart
but said nothing
to either Trevor
with talk of fish
and rod
or Monica's dress
or clothes whatever
it had been
unfashionable or such
as undesired
he looked out
at the passing scene
as the bus raced by
thinking of Elaine
sitting a little way
behind
wiping the raindrops
from glasses
so she could see
and not be
half blind.
SET IN 1962 ON SCHOOL BUS.
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