Half my hair fell out when you died.
and wisps of baby hair sprouted.
The hairdresser thought it was funny –
baby hair bouncing among my grey.
But the new hair also fell out,
tiny tufts of soft down took its place,
struggling up towards the light.
Generations grew and failed to thrive.
because they were not brushed with hope, not stroked by love.
What reason did they have to live?
But because they hadn’t heard how hopeless it was,
Each new tuft pushed up into life and died.
Published by The Emma Press, Sable Books, Medusa’s Laugh Press, Dream Catcher, Live Canon, Smith/Doorstop, Dempsey and Windle, The Frogmore Papers. From the Bottom of the Wishing Well won second prize in Paper Swans Press Pamphlet Prize and will be published shortly. Her full collection Amber was shortlisted by Hedgehog Press.
Image via Pixabay
The Cabinet of Heed 