She settled next to me
on the swings in the park;
pushing the swings back.
We let go the ground
and the swings moved back
and then forward;
we pushed our legs outward
then under the seat
of the swings
to continue the motion.
We rose quite high,
our feet reaching skyward.
I noticed her white ankle socks
and black plimsoles
moving upwards,
then they disappeared
under the seat,
then I noticed her knees
as she swung backwards.
She talked about a nun
at her school who hit girls
with a long ruler
if they talked out of turn
or gave an incorrect answer.
I said about the teacher
who caned boys at my school
usually in the assembly hall
in front other boys.
I had not been, but more
out of luck than
good behaviour, I told her.
She lifted her legs out
to the blue morning sky,
I gazed at them,
but didn't know why.
Feb 26, 2018
Feb 26, 2018 at 6:11 AM UTC
She settled next to me
on the swings in the park;
pushing the swings back.
We let go the ground
and the swings moved back
and then forward;
we pushed our legs outward
then under the seat
of the swings
to continue the motion.
We rose quite high,
our feet reaching skyward.
I noticed her white ankle socks
and black plimsoles
moving upwards,
then they disappeared
under the seat,
then I noticed her knees
as she swung backwards.
She talked about a nun
at her school who hit girls
with a long ruler
if they talked out of turn
or gave an incorrect answer.
I said about the teacher
who caned boys at my school
usually in the assembly hall
in front other boys.
I had not been, but more
out of luck than
good behaviour, I told her.
She lifted her legs out
to the blue morning sky,
I gazed at them,
but didn't know why.
Request permission to use this poem