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WHAT'S IN A NAME.
What names
shall we give
our children
when we get older?
Judy asked
as we walked
through the woods
behind the house
towards the lake
(as she called
the pond
in the woods)
I’m no good
with names
I said
you must
have some idea
what names to call
your children
I haven't got children
not yet but when
we're older you will
she said
the trees were
coming into leaf
the sun was straight overhead
birds were flying
from branch to branch
what if it's a girl?
she asked
I thought about
the middle spread picture
of the sports car
in the Eagle comic
I’d just pinned
to my bedroom wall
the parts number
and labelled
colourful
surely
you must have
a girl's name?
she asked
Leonore
I said
what kind of name
is that?
she said
I think it's in
that Beethoven opera
Miss Graham
made us listen to
during lessons
I said
I don't like it
Judy said
the car picture
was just one
of many I had
on my bedroom walls
I had one photograph
of Hayley Mills
in a frame
by my bed
I got it
from a magazine
on move-stars
what about Ruth?
she said
or Rebecca?
the path through the woods
was windy
there were bramble
on each side
how about Jezebel
I said
it has a certain
ring to it
don't like it
she said
gives off
a bad scene
we reached the fence
around the lake
and climbed over
she had on
that peasant
looking dress
flowered red and yellow
I caught a glimpse
of thigh
as she went over
you're not
taking it
seriously
she said
as we walked down
the grass towards
the water
sure I am
I said
I think Judy’s
a fine name
for a daughter.
