Poetry Magazines - The best collection of poetry magazines online - Simon Armitage

Poetry Library Southbank Centre - The Poetry Library housing the Arts Council Collection at Southbank Centre

« Previous item
Contents of this issue
Next item »

Susan Bright

print this page

Personal

  When I was In 7th grade, Johnny Ambrosia, who was rather short, liked to dance the slow ones with me. We passed notes and if we loved someone, we told one of their friends, who told someone who called you, or didn’t. Girls learned to be non-threatening, slightly dumb, and not to talk too much because boys like a good listener. When I was eighteen, I got married to a boy who drove a 1954 Chevy. When I was 30, passion hit: threatening, exhilarating, a cross between winter flu and salvation. But it doesn’t have to be that hard. Next time I’m going to run an ad. Thousands of people answer them, they send pictures and their phone number. The trick is to find someone who knows the ones that interest you. If you play it right you can find out if a man’s good in bed, spreads things, or snores. Why find that stuff out too late? A printer doesn’t hire people off the street, why build your life around people you fall in love with by mistake. I used to think newspapers were only good for lighting the wood stove, but I’ve learned better. I know why Johnny Ambrosia liked to dance with me, but it beats me why I fell in love with the boy who died in Vietnam, or married the one with the 1954 Chevy. Next time I’ll run an ad: Wanted: a Ken Doll, intelligent and good at sex.

Page(s) 56

Back to top