tiny little island thing

tiny little island thing
gay at fifteen
coming out
to our Rhodesian ridgeback
cross
curled between the bookcase &
the shoe rack
because she was
scared of lightning

dad taught me drystone walling
dad taught me peg the elms back make some fencing
dad taught me isolation is splendid
the countryside
taught me homing
I taught myself the facts
I looked us up in the dictionary
I curled my tongue around my teeth on the school bus
Pretending to be ordinary

mum taught me you so pretty
mum taught me don’t tell anybody
mum taught me to quiet that chat, taught me the phrase that is famous for everything

home taught me plant the alder deep
strip the bark from the birch in spring
don’t be too hard on yourself
watch the seasons change
dig in your feet you’re a chick you’re a fledgling thing

tiny little island thing

tiny little island thing
gay at fifteen
coming out
to our Rhodesian ridgeback
cross
curled between the bookcase &
the shoe rack
because she was
scared of lightning