LUNCH RECESS 1961.

Greenfield lights up a cigarette

behind the metal !r" r!!m
during recess
ant a drag#
he as"s
n! $ d!n%t
$ sa&
$ can hear the !ther "ids
in the pla& area
!'er the building
'!ices l!ud
laughter
girl%s screaming
and sh!uting
fr!m the their area
a fair bit aa&
here did &!u get
the ciggie#
$ as"
$ liberated it
fr!m m& m!ther%s bag
he sa&s ith a smile
she !n%t miss it
he%s sh!rter than $
plump ith br!n e&es
li"e c!n"ers
he puffs aa& franticall&
hate sch!!l
he sa&s
all the bl!!d& less!ns
and teachers
(iss ) isn%t bad
$ suggest
&!ung ith nice legs
n!t that &!ung
he sa&s
h!lding his cigarette
beteen t! fingers
!ld en!ugh
t! be &!ur m!ther
he sa&s
!nl& if she had me
'er& &!ung
$ sa&
hat%s it matter#
he sa&s
she%s still a brain teaser
he puffs aa& again
*.E. ne+t
$ remind him
f!!tball
!r ma&be h!c"e&
seat buc"ets either a&
he sa&s
puffing at me
h!%s the bit !f s"irt
h! hangs ab!ut f!r &!u
b& the sch!!l 'an#
he as"s
,ust a girl
$ sa&
that%s it isn%t it
,ust a girl
he sa&s
the cigarette stuc"
beteen lips
the&%re all the same
all thin"ing ab!ut
h! t! pic" t! marr&
and ha'e bl!!d& "ids b&
and - g!d
$ feel sic" thin"ing
ab!ut it
best a'!id them
he sa&s
the cigarette hangs limp
fr!m his lips
n! bl!!d& *.E.
he sa&s
$%ll tell .riggit
$/'e g!t gut ache
he presses the cigarette
against the all
!f the metal !r" r!!m
best g! then
$ sa&
and as e g!
$ thin" !f 0ane
acr!ss the r!!f !f building
in the girls% area
her dar" e&es and hair
dri'ing me t! distracti!n
but n!t despair.