Kisses His Neck 1997. Poem by Terry Collett

Nuala shows Una
the spare room
and leaves her

to unpack and closes
the door and walks
down the passage

to the lounge where Brian
sits watching TV
how long's she staying?

He asks watching
a footballer miss a goal
until she finds

another place to stay
Nuala says
sitting next to him

on the sofa
she wishes her husband
was out some place

so she and Una
could be alone
and get to bed

and make love
but he's there
gawking the box

a glass of beer
in his hand
I don't mind her staying

Brian says
just asking
he says

thinking how'd it be
if his wife were out
and the young girly

was on to him maybe
and well he is
only human after all

Una unpacks her clothes
and puts them in drawers
and cupboards

gazing at herself
in the mirror
of the dressing-table

gazing at the bed
wishing Nuala and she
could be on it now

and the husband away
some place
and she sighs

and wishes it so
she and Nuala away
there naked as babes

kissing and making
it happen
but no he's here

and watching TV
and Nuala
unavailable

and outside in the lounge
Nuala watches
the football

listening to Brian
gab on about
the ref and how

blind he is
and having
no mother

the feck
and turns towards him
and kisses his neck.