Felt Shy 1959 Poem by Terry Collett

Fay's father was off
the weekend
on a religious retreat
at some monastery
she told Benny
on the Friday morning
on the way to school.

So will you be able
to go to the cinema
with me tomorrow?
Benny said.

I will have
to ask Mum
but I guess I will
she said.

They were walking down
St George's Road
towards school
traffic went past them.

What do they do
in a monastery?
he asked.

Say prayers and pray
for people and live
in a community of silence
most of the time
she said.

Boring or what
he said.

It's their vocation
she said.

Glad I haven't got
one of those
vocation things
he said.

Daddy wants me
to be a nun
when I grow up
she said.

What the heck
is a nun?
he said.

They are like monks
and pray and work
in missions and such
she said.

Do you want
to be a nun?
he asked.

I haven't
thought about it
just Daddy saying it
she replied.

They came to the school
and Benny said
see you later
got to go see
my friend Denis.

All right
she said
and watched him go.

She didn't know why
but when she spoke to him
she felt funny inside and shy.