SUMMER MEETING 1961

A BOY AND GIRL MEET ONE SUMMER DAY N 1961 IN A COUNTRY LANE.

There was summer in the air
birds knew
and were singing about it

I stood waiting
by the Andrew's cottage
until I could see Jane
coming around the bend
of the lane

I'd helped saw logs
for my father
and had been
to the farm to help
sort the cows

now it was my time
my time to ease
to enjoy the company
of the girl
who filled me
with buzz and hold
my breath kind of feel  

there was the smell
of cattle on the air
dung
hot air
sticky around the nose

and then
as I looked up
she was there
coming around
the bend in the lane

dark haired
dressed
in a summery dress
old shoes

a tractor buzzed
from a nearby field

butterflies fluttered past
Red Admiral maybe

I was excited
but in a held in way
didn't want to
frighten her off
with big googly eyes
and tongue
in the corner
of my mouth
kind of look

and anyway
she came to me
and she smiled

and said
summer's here
I can sense it
feel it
seen butterflies
who've told me
and she laughed

and I liked that
that smile
that brightness
in her eyes
and I laughed too

and where shall we go?
she asked

how about down
by the stream
in the little lane?

ok
she said  
and took my hand in hers
warm
soft
fingers around mine
life pulsing there

seen a Yellow Hammer
she said
on my way here

Yellow Hammer?
I asked
is it a butterfly?

no it's a bird
she said
don't see them
that often

I'll look
in my book of birds
I said

yes should be
in there

I liked her closeness
her being there
beside me
feelings inside
rushing over me  
like a wild sea.