Having met Julie
at Victoria railway station
and travelled by tube
to Charing Cross Road
you sneaked
into Dobell's
jazz record shop
and listened
to some Coltrane
in the small record booth
up close
she having got out
of the hospital
for the day
although
the drug withdrawal
was getting her tight
her short skirt
was riding high
as she sat there
squashed up
near to you
her eyes closing
and opening
her hands
in prayer mode
in her lap
can we go now?
she said
I need a drink
and smoke
so you left the booth
giving the guy
back the Coltrane
record sleeve
and left the shop
taking it on foot
to the café
and ordering
two coffees
and she took out
her smokes and lit up
and she gave
you one too
and she talked
of how her parents
hadn't visited
and how
the whole show
at the hospital
was getting her
on the edge
and you sat
watching her
the dark hair
drawn back
with a black ribbon
the red
high necked jumper
the short black skirt
her eyes bright
as stars
her lips making
a large O
then closing up
and going
like a narrow slit
you remember
that quickie
we had
in that small cupboard?
she said
those brooms
and boxes
and then she smiled
and you smiled too
that was my last time
she said
last time I had it
she said louder
she took a drag
of her smoke
and sat silent
watching the smoke
rise before her eyes
Warwick’s worried
about you
you said
is he now
she said sarcastically
well he can go pray
to his God
for me then
she said
sitting back
in the seat
yes you thought
the ***
had been good
but quick
unexpected
out of the blue
she in her night gown
(and little else)
and in the background
the music playing
from the radio
some Beatles' song
along the hospital ward
what did you think
of the Coltrane album?
you said
breaking the silence
in the café
bored my **** off
she said
I’ll get it anyway
you replied
and she looked out
the window darkly
as if someone
had fingered her
slowly
then died.
Jan 7, 2014
Jan 7, 2014 at 10:04 AM UTC
Having met Julie
at Victoria railway station
and travelled by tube
to Charing Cross Road
you sneaked
into Dobell's
jazz record shop
and listened
to some Coltrane
in the small record booth
up close
she having got out
of the hospital
for the day
although
the drug withdrawal
was getting her tight
her short skirt
was riding high
as she sat there
squashed up
near to you
her eyes closing
and opening
her hands
in prayer mode
in her lap
can we go now?
she said
I need a drink
and smoke
so you left the booth
giving the guy
back the Coltrane
record sleeve
and left the shop
taking it on foot
to the café
and ordering
two coffees
and she took out
her smokes and lit up
and she gave
you one too
and she talked
of how her parents
hadn't visited
and how
the whole show
at the hospital
was getting her
on the edge
and you sat
watching her
the dark hair
drawn back
with a black ribbon
the red
high necked jumper
the short black skirt
her eyes bright
as stars
her lips making
a large O
then closing up
and going
like a narrow slit
you remember
that quickie
we had
in that small cupboard?
she said
those brooms
and boxes
and then she smiled
and you smiled too
that was my last time
she said
last time I had it
she said louder
she took a drag
of her smoke
and sat silent
watching the smoke
rise before her eyes
Warwick’s worried
about you
you said
is he now
she said sarcastically
well he can go pray
to his God
for me then
she said
sitting back
in the seat
yes you thought
the ***
had been good
but quick
unexpected
out of the blue
she in her night gown
(and little else)
and in the background
the music playing
from the radio
some Beatles' song
along the hospital ward
what did you think
of the Coltrane album?
you said
breaking the silence
in the café
bored my **** off
she said
I’ll get it anyway
you replied
and she looked out
the window darkly
as if someone
had fingered her
slowly
then died.
A BOY AND GIRL MEETING IN 1967.
Request permission to use this poem