ENCOUNTER WITH A NUN 1963

A SCHOOL GIRL AND HER ENCOUNTER WITH A NUN AT SCHOOL IN IRELAND IN 1963

Sit down,
the nun says,
bringing Magdalene
into her office,
pointing to a chair
opposite her desk.

The nun eyes her
seriously, her face
framed in a black
and white headpiece,
her hands on the table
in front of her
palms down.

Magdalene sits
and stares at her shoes.

Do you know why
you are here?
the nun says.

You asked me
to come in here,
Magdalene replies,
lifting her eyes
to the nun's face.

The reason why
I asked you
to come here?
the nun says firmly.

Magdalene shakes her head,
fidgets in the chair.

The nun sits back
in her chair
and stares coldly.

Silence fills the room
and Magdalene moves
back in her chair,
crossing her legs
at the ankles.

There have been reports
of you and Mary Moran
being seen entering
a toilet cubicle together,
is that true?
the nun says,
head to one side
as if her neck had snapped.

Magdalene shakes her head,
no, who'd say such a thing?
What wormy arse
would say that?
Magdalene says.

The nun eyes her colder.
Sister Bridget saw you,
the nun says.

With or without
her glasses,
Magdalene says,
she's a bit short-sighted,
she often mistakes me
for the Murphy boy.

The nun stares
and shakes her head
and says,
you should show
respect to the nuns,
and not try to score
points off of other's
disabilities.

Magdalene looks
at the nun's hands
on the desktop,
tapping away
on the old wood.

I was not with Mary Moran;
I was on my own,
and why would Sister Bridget
be spying on me
going to the bog?
Magdalene says.

The nun slams her hand
down on the desktop,
and says,
DO NOT BE SO RUDE
AND TELL THE TRUTH.

Magdalene stares
at the slammed down hand;
once it had slapped her thighs
as a young girl in R.E,
for not raising her hand
to leave the room
for a pee, now
she just stares at the nun
and says,
that's the truth
after all said and done,
cross my heart
and hope to die.

The nun rambles on,
but Magdalene
no longer listens,
recalls the kiss
on Mary's lips,
and the spark
in the nun's eyes
that glistens.