I think it was in the early 1990s that a book of poetry called CITY LINES was published in London. The big difference with this book was that ALL the poems were written by schoolchildren - including this dark and shocking exploration of adolescence by a 15-year-old female poet. It's impressive and powerful stuff - but don't read it if you are easily shocked...
The Backslappers
What greater secrecy of love
than the cracked tiles of the
boys’ room where faucets drip
bored to tears with tales of
girls succumbing? Through the
smoke rings they gather, nodding
and jerking their heads as they
lie about the ease they had in
breaking down the barrier of
mother-tightened pant elastic.
The most graphic, his laugh
caught short, his fag suspended,
recalls her eyes bulging as he
led her to the haven of a darkened
garage, bulbs smashed to the oily floor,
past the gleam of elbow greased cars
reflecting her ill ease as he led
her to the tea-stained mattress
erected to the worship of debasing.
His doubts are chased away as
he fills his lungs, assured that
they both enjoyed it.
Another deals the cards on spittle
and in a reversal of the sight sees
his hand calloused and yellowed
with tobacco running through her hair,
diverting knots, smells the stench
of beer covering her face, regurgitated
later behind someone’s fence like the
words he tells them all.
He feels the slither of his lips
Smearing her sister’s lipstick,
inexperienced and unwilling to learn.
But as he deals a king he ignores
the memory of her after-fumble tears,
the way she grabbed up her clothes
and tripped as she ran.
Those sitting on sinks, in front of
various phone numbers simply smile
and count their belt loads
of broken hymens, doubtless.
Jennifer Mitchell (15)
SOUTH KILBURN HIGH SCHOOL
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