Roedean Girl (Poetry)
27th January 2019
To Kate most things came naturally
no hint of effort — unlike me
who tried so hard to be like her
while Fate divided who we were
I went for average — she excelled
her prizes piled — my envy swelled
for nothing touched her — she seemed blessed
with every kind of happiness
She graduated — we lost touch
I didn’t think about her much
just now and then a fleeting thought
crossed my mind. I sometimes caught
a mention of her in The Times —
some article on social climes
she’d married well — some CEO
whose rising star had matched her glow
‘The girl most likely to’ — it seems
life’s proved as rosy as those dreams
at least the flashlight smile suggests
she’s captain of her own success ...
But then I met her quite by chance —
a fluke — paths crossed by happenstance
she’s elegant — I felt a mess
admiring her designer dress
Her smile still bright — a warm hello
invited we could maybe go
for coffee somewhere — sit and chat
exchange our news and chew the fat
I went of course — my interest peaked
while conversation limped and creaked
to find a comfortable spot
for confidences — like as not
she rarely shared — her classy clique
a brittle crowd of the elite
while I (all ears) a lowly serf
listened homely — down-to-earth
She sighed a lot. We reminisced
on school — the boys we almost kissed
the other girls — the fights — the tears
but skipped the intervening years
For I had nothing much to tell —
a dreary job — dull life as well
while hers (by gossip column talk)
was different as cheese from chalk
I pried a little — she stayed stum
deflecting — said I’d been a chum
she’d have to go — which was a shame
but yes — we must do this again ...
We never did. I think of ways
we each live out our measured days
me in my world — she in hers
and which is better — which is worse
is hard to judge ... for glimpsed beneath
her glossy hair and filmstar teeth
I’d sensed a longing — some regret
linked to a name she can’t forget
Her eyes had softened — shadow-sad
when mentioning a fairground lad
with freckles and a cheeky grin ...
I’m guessing she still dreams of him
no hint of effort — unlike me
who tried so hard to be like her
while Fate divided who we were
I went for average — she excelled
her prizes piled — my envy swelled
for nothing touched her — she seemed blessed
with every kind of happiness
She graduated — we lost touch
I didn’t think about her much
just now and then a fleeting thought
crossed my mind. I sometimes caught
a mention of her in The Times —
some article on social climes
she’d married well — some CEO
whose rising star had matched her glow
‘The girl most likely to’ — it seems
life’s proved as rosy as those dreams
at least the flashlight smile suggests
she’s captain of her own success ...
But then I met her quite by chance —
a fluke — paths crossed by happenstance
she’s elegant — I felt a mess
admiring her designer dress
Her smile still bright — a warm hello
invited we could maybe go
for coffee somewhere — sit and chat
exchange our news and chew the fat
I went of course — my interest peaked
while conversation limped and creaked
to find a comfortable spot
for confidences — like as not
she rarely shared — her classy clique
a brittle crowd of the elite
while I (all ears) a lowly serf
listened homely — down-to-earth
She sighed a lot. We reminisced
on school — the boys we almost kissed
the other girls — the fights — the tears
but skipped the intervening years
For I had nothing much to tell —
a dreary job — dull life as well
while hers (by gossip column talk)
was different as cheese from chalk
I pried a little — she stayed stum
deflecting — said I’d been a chum
she’d have to go — which was a shame
but yes — we must do this again ...
We never did. I think of ways
we each live out our measured days
me in my world — she in hers
and which is better — which is worse
is hard to judge ... for glimpsed beneath
her glossy hair and filmstar teeth
I’d sensed a longing — some regret
linked to a name she can’t forget
Her eyes had softened — shadow-sad
when mentioning a fairground lad
with freckles and a cheeky grin ...
I’m guessing she still dreams of him