Experiments

I was not unhappy
At school, made something
Of the lessons over the gold heads
Of the girls. Love, said
The letters on
The blackboard. Love, I write down
In my book.
There was one room,
However, that was full of
Jars, test-tubes
And wet stinks. Poisonous smells
Came from it, rumours,
Reports. The pupils who
Worked there had glasses and
Tall skulls. They were pale and
Looked at us as though we were part
Of a boring experiment.

RS Thomas