a mouse under a rock
she peers out to see the world
green! blue! white!
a stream, winding down the hillside
a lush forest full of life and breath
clouds that drift overhead
but the shadow of a predator falls
and sends chills down her spine
the mouse retreats.

a mouse under a rock
peeks out once again
sunlight! grass! wind!
the cascading of a falls not too far
a swimming hole, perhaps
surrounded in trees and mud
but the predator is back,
so the mouse hides again.

At first I was falling,
Stuck in a whorlwind,
Stragiht for the ****** bin.

Twisting, turning,
Tumbling through-
Then I found you.

You held me firm,
And helped me stand.
Now I know me.
Here I am.

That eight beat slam across the page
It coddles like your sweater hood
To shield you from your fear of age
Predictability feels good

Familiarity's your hutch
So sweet a place to build a bed
Swaddled by your written crutch
To ease the noise inside your head

Hands are not for high fives
When meeting up with friends
hands are not for taking selfies
Of parties with strangers at weekends
Hands are washing for 20 seconds
while singing a special song
Hands are for clapping
For our NHS, thank you all, be strong.

Faces can show a thousand signs
Of emotions we hold inside
Faces can show life's lines
As we smile, and laugh and grow
Faces can be all of these
But in this we must beware
Faces can also cough and sneeze
So cover up, wear a mask, don't share

Space is not the outer space
Where men travel to the moon
Space is not the parking bay
Where I park, and be back soon
Space is not the inner space
Where time's taken to reflect and grow
Space is the distance between humans
2m to stop the passing of Covid flow

A weapon that’s finely honed—
not more than a wire, a knife.
Nowhere on Earth I belonged,
until you invaded my life.

Around me, your arms wrap with comfort;
warmth spreading; hold’s steady, no effort.

Throughout, all’s familiar, safe.
My self (for what I always longed)—
no longer a weapon, a knife—
a man, fully, finally owned.

I feel safe in the night
Surrounded in darkness and a cozy blanket
Dogs sleeping soundly
The world is my room
And it’s all only mine

No one will open the door
They’re all also themselves
And I can finally breathe
With the weight of the day
Of their burdens
Of the household
Of my burdens
Off my shoulders

Oh darling.
My mind.
My mind is killing me.

It is in fact the one and only place in this god forsaken world where I can be safe.
Where I don’t have to belong.
Where everything is possible.
Where I have a place to hide.

But,
It is killing me.