Featured image Marker | Basement of my Brain

How to Make Things Stop

The bullocks looked up from the grass
just a creature to them, they wanted to see, wanted to see —
I wasn't scared. If they came too close, too fast, I knew,
 
make yourself big, shout and run at them,
done it many times before
but they were coming quickly now,
a big herd,
 
bulky strong beasts,
tang of dung and earth and animal,
running faster —
 
I spread my arms wide, ran at them, shouted —
they came faster, splashing mud.
 
I was very small then
the sort of small that happens
at bad times
that had happened, would happen
at worse times than this —
 
I realised then they
weren't stopping.
I was running,
they were panting close, 
hooves churning —
 
in front of me was
a fence by a hedge,
I climbed over,
 
trapped but safe in the tiny space
between hedge and fence,
scared, how stupid to be scared —
 
breath panting  wet against my face,
I was small and still, still and small, 
small and still 
as mouths pushed close.
 
I didn't learn anything
about how to make things stop.
 
I wouldn't know
the next time either —

I would be small and still, 
still and small,
he would move faster,
his wet mouth would
be on mine,
 
trapped in 
my tiny space,
stupid scared girl,
small and still.


Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *