SCHOOLBOYS WILL.

[dadio]

Who’s she? Connolly asks,
Taking note of a girl passing.
She’s new on the block, says
O’Brien, watching the girl pass,

Her hair in plaits, tied with black
Ribbons. She has a mouth on her,
Sutcliffe says; don’t be fooled
By her feminine ways. What’s

Her father do? Connolly asks,
Studying the white ankle socks,
The brown scuffed shoes. Stands
With his hands in his pockets in

The queue like the rest of them,
Waiting for work, O’Brien informs.
Connolly studies the girl as she
Begins skipping with two other

Girls in the playground, watches
The way she jumps when the rope
Comes. They stand beside the bike
Shed peering at the girls, smoking,

The smoke rises in small puffs.
What’s her name? Connolly asks.
Jennie Richie, Sutcliffe says, she’s
Nice thighs, don’t you think. O’Brien

Inhales the smoke, the two others
Girls swing the rope for the Richie
Girl, their hands moving, their eyes
Fixed on Richie’s feet. They’re all

The same, Connolly says, so my
Daddy says, you see one pair of
Thighs you’ve seen them all.
Richie’s legs are hit by the rope

And she changes place with the
Thin girl with the rat's tail hair.
The boys stand silent, the smoke
Rises, the thin girl skips and jumps,

Her navy-blue panties show briefly
In the warm May air as the boys stare.

[Sue Littleton]

Ah, Terry, you rascal, you! I love your style, kiddo, and this one knocked me out when I got to the photo. Perfect!

Hugs, Sue♥

[dadio]

thank you very much, Sue, for reading & comments.