You showed Lizbeth
the empty cottage
down the country lane.
Maybe we can get in
some how
and do it there,
she said.
You looked at
the overgrown garden:
I couldn't do that,
you said.
Not do what
get in or do it ?
she said.
Neither of them,
you said.
Why not?
it can't be that hard
to get inside,
and surely
you like ***
she said.
A goldfinch flew
to the apple tree
and made noise.
Rooks flew above
and around
the tall trees.
I won't break
into the cottage,
nor have ***
you said.
She pouted her lip:
Why are we here, then?
she asked.
(When I came with Jane
a few weeks ago,
we looked around
the outside
talking about one day
marrying someone
and living there.
We also looked
at the various birds
in the garden.)
Just to show you
the cottage
and see what birds
there are,
you said.
She looked bored:
I didn't cycle
all the way here
to look at this
empty cottage
and look at ****** birds,
she said.
I didn't ask you
to cycle out here,
you said.
She sighed
and gazed
at the garden.
Maybe you should
come into town,
she said.
Too far to walk,
and there is only a bus
on Saturday morning,
you said.
You can cycle,
she said.
I haven't a bike,
you replied.
She didn't know
what to say.
I get the coach
to school
on weekdays,
you said.
After a few minutes
we walked up the lane
to where
she parked her bike.
See you at school,
Monday,
she said.
She rode off
and didn't look back.
You watched until
she was out of sight
and then you went back
to the shed to help
your father saw up logs.
Far off you heard
cows moo,
and the barking of dogs.
Jul 21, 2019
Jul 21, 2019 at 5:53 AM UTC
You showed Lizbeth
the empty cottage
down the country lane.
Maybe we can get in
some how
and do it there,
she said.
You looked at
the overgrown garden:
I couldn't do that,
you said.
Not do what
get in or do it ?
she said.
Neither of them,
you said.
Why not?
it can't be that hard
to get inside,
and surely
you like ***
she said.
A goldfinch flew
to the apple tree
and made noise.
Rooks flew above
and around
the tall trees.
I won't break
into the cottage,
nor have ***
you said.
She pouted her lip:
Why are we here, then?
she asked.
(When I came with Jane
a few weeks ago,
we looked around
the outside
talking about one day
marrying someone
and living there.
We also looked
at the various birds
in the garden.)
Just to show you
the cottage
and see what birds
there are,
you said.
She looked bored:
I didn't cycle
all the way here
to look at this
empty cottage
and look at ****** birds,
she said.
I didn't ask you
to cycle out here,
you said.
She sighed
and gazed
at the garden.
Maybe you should
come into town,
she said.
Too far to walk,
and there is only a bus
on Saturday morning,
you said.
You can cycle,
she said.
I haven't a bike,
you replied.
She didn't know
what to say.
I get the coach
to school
on weekdays,
you said.
After a few minutes
we walked up the lane
to where
she parked her bike.
See you at school,
Monday,
she said.
She rode off
and didn't look back.
You watched until
she was out of sight
and then you went back
to the shed to help
your father saw up logs.
Far off you heard
cows moo,
and the barking of dogs.
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