Game Lost 1956 Poem by Terry Collett

Janice is in the playground
playing skip rope
with two other girls.

I'm playing marbles
with Dennis and Dave
against the playground wall.

I have put
my favourite marble
out there
hoping to win the lot.

Dave crouches low
and flicks his blue marble
it hits Dennis's pink marble.

Dennis looks over
at the girls skipping
your turn Den
Dave says
standing up.

Dennis crouches down
and continues the game
his marble misses
and hits the wall
he stands up
looks at the girls again.

You can see their knickers
when they skip
he says.

Who cares
Dave says
crouching down
intent on the game.

I watch the game
hoping my marbles
don't get lost
especially the blue one
I think as lucky.

Dennis looks back
at the game.

The girls skip on
intent on their game.

I bend down
and aim and miss
and curse
and the game
is won and lost
to my and Dennis's cost.