Beside Miss Pinkie 1973 Poem by Terry Collett

I lay beside
Miss Pinkie
in her bed
in her flat.

It was morning
someone
was vacuuming
in the flat upstairs
footsteps back
and forth.

There was a sliver
of daylight
where her curtains
didn't meet.

I turned over
and gazed
at her sleeping
eyes closed
eyelids like pink
seashells.

Her mouth open
breathing shallow.

She was old enough
to be my mother
just about.

Her hair
was in a mess
not neat
as it usually was.

We'd made love
a few times in
the late evening
and night
it wasn't hot sex
but it was all right.

She said
she'd entered
a convent
with her cousin
when they were 18
she left
but her
cousin stayed.

Seemed a bit kinky
sleeping
with an ex-nun
wonder what
the bishop
would say
if he could see
how she lay
I mused.

My mouth was dry
I needed a drink
to wake me up
for real.

She opened
her eyes
and stared at me.

Her hand wandering
back towards me
wanting to feel.