Sarah has some smokes.

[Jerrybaldy]

Sarah has some smokes, she is sucking on one
and has one behind each ear.
I think I love her since we kissed with open mouths.
She tattoed me with ballpoint.
The feeling, as she held my wrist and
drew her name on my forearm,
set me racing with desire.
We climbed my favourite of all trees,
burnt hollow and black from lightning,
she watched and giggled,
as I hammered home her name in six inch nails.
I used one left over, to scratch her name in my skin
A real tattoo.
When I fumbled inside her blouse,
she laughed like she would never stop
and I discovered a boy's weak spot.
Our first kiss was in my kitchen,
pushed together in the dark.
Mouths wide open like in surprise,
clamped together with purpose,
neither of us thought of moving any.
She kicked off my smoking career aged twelve.
She hadnt waited until such old age.
She was wild in her way
and left me looking for wild and less ordinary
ever since.
We lasted three months.
Then I dated her sister.
But back then, with a cigarette
behind each pretty ear
I think I loved her
in fact I'm sure.

[Delta40]

you probably did love her. ah memories, sweet memories....

[dafydd manton]

Jerry, whatever you do, don;t use the word "fag". Not now, not on hear, with Americans, and Australians, and so on...........don't do it!

Matron!!!

[Jerrybaldy]

Delta
I am sure I did. For 30 years on or so, love still has no definition.

[Delta40]

lol. my mother said i would know when it happened. either she lied to me or my love radar has been on the blink for a very, very long time.

[Jerrybaldy]

Oh those parental lies. I have only recently discovered that when the ice cream van plays his tune it doesnt mean he has ran out of icecream. And the trail behind the plane aint for the pilot to find his way back.
I think you know when you like someone and connect them and fancy them, what the hell and when the hell that becomes love is a mystery to me. I think we are all being duped maybe.

[Delta40]

ha ha. I remember my mum telling me the sound of thunder was god moving his furniture! I admit it, I passed the lie down to my kids

[Jerrybaldy]

I was told the same lie. it didnt stop me quivering in fear and calling for her though ;)

[Delta40]

it made me hold the man upstairs (btw a bald guy wearing a blue suit with a striking resemblance to Gordon Honeycomb) in real awe

[dafydd manton]

Love is one of those strange mysteries, which hits you when expect least, when you might not want it, but when it does......................... And it doesn't matter how old you are, how rational you try to be .................

[Delta40]

oh. I thought I just had a bad bout of wind :-) Blast!

[Jerrybaldy]

Gordon Honeycombe?? did you have british newsreaders in Oz?

[dafydd manton]

Why not? Dame Edna Everage was on our Telly tonight!

[Jerrybaldy]

I just noticed my own sibilance in this poems title. I'm better than I thought :D

[Delta40]

Gordon Honeycombe?? did you have british newsreaders in Oz?

no. I remember him when I lived in Gretton and seemed to think God looked just like him.

I couldn't understand either why I had to sing 'I am the Lord of the dance settee' at school...

[dafydd manton]

Ah, I had wondered! In memory of "Gladly my cross-eyed Bear".

[PrinceMyshkin]

Jerry! This is such a fine poem, so true to the voice of the boy at whatever age he was, all the details, the choice of words, the solemnity of his love for Sarah - it all rings true and beautiful. Wow!

[Jerrybaldy]

Bloody hell Delta. Are we seperated at birth. I have thought since junior school that I heard setee instead of said he and you are the first person I have ever heard who thought the same

[Jerrybaldy]

'dance then where ever you may be for I am the lord of the dance setee' Jesus wants me for a sofa.

[Delta40]

yes well. I imagined people dancing around Gordon H reposing on the dance settee...

gotta go and hear about tax. have a nice day all!

[dafydd manton]

That's "sunbean", you clot! Sunbean! They come in tins, and give you wind! *Honestly*

[Jerrybaldy]

Thank you Prince. It rang true as its built on memories. I am so glad it struck a chord as from different countries it gives me pleasure that it crossed the divide.
best wishes to you
Jerry

[dafydd manton]

That's the beauty of poetry, Jerry. I know that we crack jokes all the time, but poems transcend national borders, cultures, ideals, backgrounds, religion. We are very fortunate to share it!

[Haunted]

Love is fun when you're young, and Jerry you captured it all in here.

[Maryd.]

Yes Jerry, it's cheeky love...

[Jerrybaldy]

Thanks haunted and mary d. Young and cheeky. ;)

[PrinceMyshkin]

Jerry! This is such a fine poem, so true to the voice of the boy at whatever age he was, all the details, the choice of words, the solemnity of his love for Sarah - it all rings true and beautiful. Wow!

I wrote "at whatever age he was" because I misread the line


She kicked off my smoking career aged twelve

to mean that SHE was twelve whereas on closer reading it clearly refers to the immediately prior subject: "my smoking career". Apologies.

[Jerrybaldy]

Apologies not at all required Prince. It made me realise that I had mentioned his age twice and correct it. My thanks again for your appreciation of the piece.