animals

“and i talk nicely to them and try and get them to come closer.”

we are four years old

it’s our first school trip together

i tell you i’m most excited to see the tigers

but you being you

are more interested in the

galapagos tortoise

we sit together in the bus

and you hold my hand

i offer you a bag of gummy snakes

but we both know your mother

hates candy

maybe that’s why she hates me

i’m too candy-sweet

daydream

you’re bitter lemon

harsh reality

kids aren’t meant to pet the tigers

but i just wanted to be friends with them

i start to cry

fierce, roaring tears

you and your hard tortoise shell

are already accustomed to my tantrums

you put your arm around my shoulder

though you are shorter than me

you run off

and return with tiger and tortoise plush toys

a wide grin from eye to eye

on your boyish face

you look pleased with yourself

you tell me

the tiger’s name is

rory

and the tortoise’s name is

george

i wonder if you still keep george

because rory lives on my bed

and hasn’t left since

i was four

it’s a shame

i can’t say the same

about you.

“hey, we are elephants, we love giraffes.”

note: this piece is roughly inspired by the song 'animals' by bath.