SHARED CIGARETTE.

BOYS SHARE A CIGARETTE IN 1950S.

O’Brien held the cigarette tight

Between forefinger and thumb.

He placed it between lips and

Inhaled. Danny Davis wanted

A drag too and Eddie Sutcliffe

Stood like a young pup waiting

For his chew on the bone. They

Watched the end of the cigarette

Flare up in the early winter cold;

Eddie rubbed his hands together

In anticipation. You kept an eye

Out for school prefects or any

Odd teacher who might happen

To venture forth into the school

Playground. I liberated this from

My dad’s packet, O’Brien said,

Taking the cigarette from his lips

And passing it over to Davis who

Took a quick drag then gave it to

Sutcliffe who held it like a girl

Having her first kiss. No one was

Coming, so you had a quick drag

After Eddie had left drips of dribble

And inhaled the smoke. O’Brien

Made a comment about some

Girl he’d had or so he said the

Night before. Davis guffawed

Loudly, but Sutcliffe stood there

Opened mouthed while you

Half smiled and wondered if it

Was true about the girl’s arse

Or just some smutty joke.