Lydia's Spin 1958 Poem by Terry Collett

Lydia tried to spin
Benny's six shooter
around her finger
as he had done
but it slipped off
her thin finger
and fell on the grass.

How do you do it
and I can't?
she said.

Practice and practice
he said
picking up the gun
and showed her how
it was done.

Can I try again?
she said.

He handed her the gun
she put on her finger
and tried again
but it fell off onto
the grass once more.

He picked up the gun
and said
here let me put it
on your finger
and so he did
and held it there
now turn your finger
slightly upward
and spin it.

He released her finger
and she raised her finger
spun it around
and it stayed on.

She said
done it done it
and looped the gun
into her hand
now I'm a proper cowgirl.

Sure are
Benny said
do it again.

She spun the gun
on her finger again
and it spun around.

Good see you
can do it
he said.

He took the gun
from her finger
and spun it around
his finger quick
and slipped it
into his holster
at his side.

She was pleased
she'd done it.

They walked off
the grass and back up
the slope into the Square
as it was lunchtime
and her mother said
not to be late.

So he left her
at her door
and went up
to his flat to see
if his mother
had his lunch also.

He liked that he'd
showed her how
to spin the gun
and it had been good
and fun.