**Disclosure - - all characters in this story are of legal age (18 or older) and are not based on any real person living or dead, even though not stated in the story itself.**
"Every pair will be assigned a poem to read. I have passed out the poems. There is two of each poem in the class. I decided to do it this way to ensure a little more diversity in the groups. The groups are completely random. Everyone has a Robert Herrick poem, some are short some are long. What I expect of the groups is to figure out what the poems are about and be able to discuss it with the class on Monday as a group, so yes I am expecting you to get together out of class to discus the poems. Now before I turn you loose to find your partner please know that their will be no trading of poems. So enjoy your groups." Ms. Garret said to her senior English class.
Kara opened her poem and read it. Turning slightly pink she started praying to get a female partner. Kara knew she was shy and reading The Vine by Herrick with a guy in front of the class would be just too hard. But knowing her luck Kara figured that she would end up with some popular boy who would be to immature to handle a poem about sex.
Travis sat across the room staring at the poem reading it slowly a second time because he could not have been right the first time he read it. There was no way Ms. Garret would assign high school students a poem about sex, especially a poem that was about a guy wanting is dick to grow longer so he could fuck a virgin. Travis got up and started trying to find who had The Vine. He could see Kara blushing, please don't be her. "I dreamed this . . ." Travis started.
"Mortal part of mine was metamorphosed to a vine. So I see we are partners." Kara said trying not to cringe. This was even worse than a popular boy, this was a jock. "So . . . ."
"I guess we will have to get together to figure this poem out. I have practice tonight. I get done at about 5:30. We could get together after that, either your place or mine."
"Well I will be at work at that time. I work at the city library so if you wanted to meet with me there. I mean you have no clue how boring it is on a Friday evening."
"Ok I guess I will see you at the library at about 5:45, I don't need a library card to get in do I?"
Kara laughed at Travis's worried expression, "No, you don't. I will just sneak you in the front door." Kara picked up her books and left the class room. Thankfully it was the last class of the day; she did not have to pretend to get along with Travis any longer. As she thought back over the conversation Kara had to admit to herself that he actually was not that hard to talk with, maybe this assignment would go ok.
That day at baseball practice Travis stood in the center field watching the other guys run around. He kept an eye on the ball, but today his mind was not really in the game. He kept thinking about the poem that he had read earlier. It was kind of interesting that he got paired with Kara, at least Kara was smart.
It was about 5:30 so Kara walked to find a large volume or renaissance poetry. Looking through it Kara found the poem that they had to go over. Since no one was in the library Kara decided to read the poem out loud. "The Vine by Robert Herrick. I dreamed this mortal part of mine Was metamorphosed to a vine, Which, crawling one and every way, Enthralled my dainty Lucia. Methought, her long small legs and thighs I with my tendrils did surprise: Her belley, buttocks, and her waist By my soft nervelets were embraced About her head I writhing hung And with rich clusters (hid Amoung The leaves) her temples I behung, So that my Lucia seemed to me Young Bacchus ravished by his tree. My curls about her neck did crawl, And arms and hands they did enthrall, So that she could not freely stir ( All parts there made one prisoner). But when I crept with leaves to hide Those parts which maids keep unespied, Such fleeting pleasures there I took That with the fancy I awoke, And found (ah me!) this flesh of mine More like a stock than like a vine." Kara had gotten wrapped up in reading the poem that she did not hear Travis enter the library.
"So you know the poem pretty well it seems," Travis said as he perched on the corner of the desk.
"I was . . .um . . . just reading out loud." Kara said as she went red again.
"So do you wanna move to one of the tables or what?"
"Sure I will just take the cordless phone with me." Kara picked up the thick volume of poetry and walked to one of the tables with Travis. "Ok so how should we go about this? I mean I know what I think the poem is about and I am sure that you do as well."
"Yeah, I have an idea but I don't think that we could discuss what I think it is about in front of the class."
"So you read it like it is about sex as well?"
"Um . . . yeah." Travis shifted in his chair a little.
"Well maybe we could discuss certain aspects of the poem in pieces instead of as a whole. Like maybe seeing with type of iambic meter it has, or any rhyming sequence."
"Well, I have only read the poem once and heard you recite the last three lines, so how about I reread it quickly then we can make some decisions." Travis said looking at Kara. Seeing her nod Travis pulled the volume of poetry over to him and reread the poem. After a few minutes, "He wants to fuck a virgin!"
"I didn't see that in there so much as him just wanting to have a vine like penis to allow him to unknowingly have sex with his Lucia."
Travis and Kara talked about the poem for a little while, the entire time Travis kept shifting uncomfortably in his chair.
"Is something wrong Travis?" Kara looked at him with her head tilted to the side slightly, "did you get hurt at practice today? Get hit by a fly ball?"
"I am ... um ... I'll be fine."
"You do not sound so sure of that. Is there anything I can do for you, we have some ice packs in the back freezer."