Burn
A jet of methane
shoots from a nog of coal,
tar oozes around the tiny hole,
twists into the rest of the smoke,
laps up the chimney
permed, smooth.
His right hand grips the poker, begins to burn
but he does not move
from the faces:
children gather round the bully,
collars limp, hair damp,
a faint imprint of sun beyond the fog.The eyes of the biggest lad in the class
shine wet, question.The bell pulls the boys into school.
The bullied drags behind him his stigma,
shoe-laces flap around scuffed leather;
he does not like milk but drinks it,
dreads dinner-time
when he will walk the circumference.There are three in particular
he always has to watch.
The fire sags through its ashes.
Almost a tear:
he was the worst of the three.
Page(s) 11
magazine list
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- Lamport Court
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