Sophia's Father's Joke 1969 Poem by Terry Collett

Your father short and squat
like some mafia boss
tells Benny to sit
got a joke to tell you
he says.

Benny sits on the sofa
looks at you
then at your father
who sits in his armchair.

Your mother is in the kitchen
preparing lunch
muttering Polish noises.

A couple who died
before they could marry
go to the gates of Heaven
your father begins.

Benny stares at your father
deciphering the Polish
tinged English words.

They see St Peter there
we wanted to marry
the young man says
but we died
before we could
can we marry now?

St Peter said
wait here
I will go into Heaven
to find a priest
so he goes off
and the couple wait
your father pauses
warming to his theme.

Benny looks at you
wondering what
the punchline will be.

They waited for years
then St Peter came back
with a priest and said
sorry about the wait
but I had a job
to find a priest
your father grins.

Benny laughs softly
unsure if it is a trick
your father maybe playing
to catch him out.

Your father titters
and you join in
imagining the couple
standing for all that time.

Your mother enters
into the room and mutters
lunch is ready
in her Polish tongue
giving Benny a stare
wishing probably
he wasn't there.