WON'T BE LONG.

A BOY AND HIS GIRLFRIEND'S MOTHER IN 1964

She won't be long
Milka's mother said
she's just having a bath

I sat in the kitchen
of the farmhouse
a mug of tea
in front of me

that's OK no rush
I said
the film doesn't start  
yet a while

what are you seeing?

an Elvis film
I said

O I see
in my day
it was Robert Taylor
or Robert Mitchum
she said smiling
not that I went often
but now and then

she turned around
at the sink
and started peeling potatoes

I looked at photographs
on the shelves
one of the my mates
Milka's brothers
another of Milka
in a school uniform
frowning

Milka's mother was talking
about something
but I was thinking
of Milka
how she and I
made love at my place
when my parents
were out
the other week

now she was upstairs
in the bath
and I was downstairs
listening to her mother talking

you know Benny
she said
I trust you with Milka
she's a bit high spirited

but you are a good boy
I know you will keep her
on the straight and narrow
despite Elvis
she turned
and gazed at me

I put on
my butter wouldn't melt face
and sipped my tea

yes
I said
you can put
your trust in me
I won't let you down

I gazed at the photo
of Milka
with the deep frown.