LOVING STARE 1962

A BOY AND GIRL AT HIGH SCHOOL IN 1962.

You show me
Yochana
how you practice

the piano at home
by playing
on your knees

as we sit
on the grass
on the playing field

at high school
I watch your fingers move
the thin fingers

with the pinkish nails
can you hear the notes
played Benedict?

you ask me
no just see
your fingers move

I reply
I was playing the start
of Beethoven's Fifth

you say
fifth what?
I ask

fifth symphony
you say smiling
I like your smile

it is shy and rare
I play the fingers
of my left hand

on your right thigh
do you know what
that was?

I ask
you shake your head
no what is it?

you and me
I say
you laugh

and hold my fingers
in your hand
and kiss the tips

I shouldn't even be here
with you
if my mother heard

she'd be mad with me
you tell me
why she doesn't

know me?
I say
you're a boy

and from this school
and that
is enough for her

you say
and if Angela
does say

she's seen us
then I'm in
hot water

but Angela's your friend
she won't tell will she?
she has before

when my mother
questioned her
you say

we sit and watch
other kids sitting
like us

or playing ball games
or running around
in tag games

you release my fingers
I best go
you say

just in case
and you kiss my cheek
and walk off

towards the girl's
playground
and I watch you go

studying your
slim frame
your dark long hair

and I give you
a steady
loving stare.