CENTAUR

hiding in the hay
me a terrified little boy
& my uncle like a terrified little boy

the voices in his head
telling him to be afraid
of all strangers...changes

he’s been like this
since the day his Dad(my unknown grandfather)
died

my Aunt’s voice
searching for us...
searching us out

her shouts like bloodhounds
hunting us down
her words angry & cruel

her angry voice
slurring us into:
“DonallSeanie! ”

as if we had fused
into one being
a metamorphosis of us

the hay cooks us
and we swelter
in our hidey hole

a chicken sits
on top
of my uncle’s cap

as if his mind had
materialised
into this shape

he rocks
himself
and rocks me

“Shhhh...boy...shhhh! ”
comforting
both him & me

“Don’t leave me! ” he clucks
words scattered around him
like newly laid eggs

I settle
into
his silence

my Aunt’s threats
freezing us
in this terrible heat

his chest hair
tickles
my nose

the cut on my left big toe
throbs through
the open sandal

my uncle cries in fear
I wipe away the tear
with the ***** edge of my sleeve

we escape to
the West field
me riding his shoulders

transformed into
a legendary creature
that only exists in myths

fleeing from
the realness
...of reality