Linda M (Poetry)

I don’t know what made me think of you today
I haven’t thought of you in years
and we were never friends
simply girls — teens who happened to be
hanging around the same sixties crowd
or at least on the periphery

I didn’t even know you really
except by reputation —
the sort that gets a girl talked about
in any small town = small-minded
(as in why should she have all the attention?)
hormonal youth club situation

I doubt even half of it was true
but you were a little ‘forward’
as they used to say —
never missing an opportunity to flirt
while the rest of us looked on — a bit envious
                                                        probably
then later dished the dirt

Rumour had it
you were no more than the local bike
a free ride for any boy who took your fancy
short skirts and low-cut blouses showed
just how much of you there was
for them to like

Quite suddenly today it occurred to me
those judgemental gossips had it wrong
it wasn’t casual sex that made you popular
(and prissy uptight bitches should take note)
it was actually to do with your personality
simply being with you was a lot more fun