David Chadwick

A New Term

 

School the next day,

the new-year ritual of covering books

with oddments of wallpaper begins.

 

Spread on the floor; scissors, sellotape,

1As, 1Bs, wide blue lines

on fresh white pages.

 

Folding the edges carefully,

leaning forward on bare knees

dimpled by the hard floor.

 

Laying each sticky strip in place

and pressing it down neatly,

running the thumb sideways.

 

Then, smoothing open the first page;

feasting on the clean, blank paper,

picking up pencil, counting lines, breathing in.

 

Slowly, so slowly forming the first letter

of the title page; never again

such a moment of happiness,

such sweet belief in tomorrow.