LISTENING TO ELVIS 1962

A BOY AND GIRL LYING ON A BED LISTENING TO ELVIS IN 1962

Benny's mother liked Yehudit,
she often invited her home,
and allowed her and Benny
to sit in his room and play
on his record player;
this day they lay on the bed,
and didn't sit on the floor
watching the record
going round and round
and talking.

Do you see bats
at dusk?
Yehudit asked,
lying her head
on the pillow.

Sometimes I see them,
but they're so quick
hard to get a good
glimpse of them,
he said.

I see them
from my bedroom window,
she said,
and my sister says,
o Yehudit lie down
and shut up
about darn bats,
I hate them.

Benny turned
and gazed at Yehudit
lying there next to him,
her eyes staring
back at him,
her lips which he had kissed,
especially that evening
they went singing
with the church choir
and they had stopped
in the moonlight
and kissed and hugged
each other,
the other members
gone on to sing
at another house.

She leaned forward
and kissed him quickly
before he had time
to say: Jack s**t.

He held her close to him
and she hugged him.

She released him
from the kiss.

Ought not to do it here
in case my brother
comes in,
Benny said.

Where is he?
She said.

Out playing
with young sisters,
I guess,
Benny said,
besides if my mum
sees us here
she might not
let you come again.

Yehudit nodded
and leaned back,
and got off the bed,
and sat on the floor
and listened to
the Elvis Presley
record playing.

Benny got off the bed
and sat with her
on the floor.

Best not I guess,
she said,
but it was nice
lying there,
felt different,
better than lying
in some bushes
some place,
more comfortable.

She leaned into him
and kissed him again.

One day maybe
we can here
when there's no one
about to disturb,
he said.

She lay back
on the floor,
her left hand
cushioning her head,
I'm sweet to do so,
she smiled
and said.