Month of Poetry #17: For Jill

Back to Narnia today, for one of my favourite characters in all the books – Jill – specifically when she forgets Aslan’s instructions and lands them all in mortal danger at Harfang.

so I am just a girl, alright -
a cross-grained child
sturdy, says the marshwiggle, with that irritating glumness
that makes everything sound ridiculous

sturdy, indeed!

how on earth was I supposed to remember?
it’s so cold -

what’s wrong with wanting to be

inside

warm

by the fire

ooooooooo, eating roasted meat!

the lady said it would be OK. she did say so.
and how could I remember, unriddle that riddle
when my nose felt like it was about to drop off my face

anyway, Scrubb thought we should go in, too.
it was only the wiggle that wanted to keep poking about
under the snow, under the ice

what’s the point of a memory test when
you don’t have a chance to study?
it’s been a long and very cold journey, this
looking for as lost prince and a snake-witch

we deserve a rest. ooooooo, and a bath!
I can almost feel the sweet steam on my face -

just a girl; a girl who really, really wants to defrost
and friendly giants are alright (aren’t they?)
the city is full of light

never mind what that beautiful lion might have said
I can’t remember. Anyway, I didn’t understand it
not my fault, anyway

it’s not

onwards and upwards we go
into the mouth of the giant castle -

- Kathy, 17/1/14