ONE OF THOSE.

A GIRL TALKS OF OTHER GIRLS IN 1900.

You could never trust
the other girls
not to gossip
there were petty jealousies

everywhere
who went out
with whom
and who had

what to wear
and who bought what
for whom and by whom
and Betsy knew

some of the girls
weren't as pure  
as they made out
and even some of them

not mentioning
any names
well they were
quite close

maybe too close
and boys would be calling
for some more than others
and Betsy knew

what some girls got up to
and even if they acted
all goody-two-shoes
she knew they weren't

and even behind her back
she knew they talked
about her
probably the same ones

who talked to her
about others
and sometimes

if they stayed
at each others' houses
they judge each others' rooms

or beds or bathrooms
and she'd hear
do you really wear

that to bed?
or is that
your night dress?
or do you expect

to get a man wearing that?
and all that old hat
and she knew
if you invited one

of the girls you had
to be careful
to lock your door
at night just in case

but on the whole
she guessed
they weren't
a bad bunch of girls

to have around
at least until
the right man
came along

and might maybe propose
unless of course
she smiled
you were one of those.