In Her Head 1980 Poem by Terry Collett

The convent
was quiet
but Susan

couldn't sleep
she thought of
Jude and how

she left him
standing on
the platform

while she was
on the train
should have said

I didn't
agree to
marry him

should have said
I was off
to Paris

to be an
enclosed nun
I didn't

I just said
was off to
think awhile

she stared at
the small cross
on the wall

a bell rang
off somewhere
she was cold

she could smell
starch and bread
and Jude's scent

lingered there
in her head.