JANICE AND SHERBET.

A BOY AND GIRL IN 1950S LONDON

She wore her red beret
at an angle
tilted slightly
her hair flowed

from the back
and sides
she had just ridden
my blue

two wheeled
scooter
then sat beside me
on the grass

the blue scooter
resting against the wall
I wonder if people hid
in the bomb shelters?

she said
if the air-raid sirens
went off they would
have done

I said
looking at the shelters
over the way
bet it was dark

in there and spiders
and such
she said
better than being

blown apart
by a bomb
I said
I gave her

one of my sherbet
flying saucer sweets
she put it
in her mouth

and screwed
up her eyes
sour
she said

I smiled
gets you
like that
the first time around

she opened her eyes
guess so
she said
she watched

as I put one
in my mouth
and sensed
the sherbet explode

on the tongue
then chewed
the outer softness
can I have another?

Janice asked
sitting there
head to one side
sure

I said
and offered her
the bag
she put two

of her thin fingers in
and took out
a sweet
I noticed

how blue
her eyes were
like small oceans
each reflecting

the summer sky
she wiped
her fingers
on her orange dress

leaving a white sherbet
damp powdery mess.

Reviews

[Dr. Wood ?]

wonderful stuff as usual Terry, a picture of innocent love of all thins innocent

[Terry Collett]

Thank you, Dr.Wood?