STICK INSECT
school bus very noisy/ this morning on way
to school bully boy approach me/ i sitting
on seat close to busdriver/ hidden in hair/
bully boy approach me from back of bus/
where badness is/ where anger spits/ in
his hand/ huge stick insect/ all grey legs
moving between his fingers/ pushing away
& gripping on/ he come right up to me/
he look into my face/ i not speak/ i say
with eyes: what is that?/ i really mean:
what you want?/ i not like him/ he knows
this/ before i can kick or yell or run/ his
big hand come down on my skull/ horrid
insect slam onto my head/ with his other
hand he grab my throat/ i barely breathe/
i terrified of insect falling to pieces/
will it bite me hard in its dying?/ he rub
the struggling insect deep into my hair/
where only i can feel it/ insect rage/ click
click click/ deep inside my brain behind
my eyes/ i hear it cry/ terrified of legs &
fangs/ then he laugh/ wipe his huge hand
on my front/ disappear to back of bus/
busdriver says: 'ay sit down/ one leg of
stick insect jutting from tunic/ nerve
endings turning in hair/ other children
on bus laughing/ later in afternoon/
insect die completely/ i swim in deep
dam/ in back paddock/ it take me three
hours/ pulling insect pieces out/ i baptise
myself in water & light/ not talk to
anyone for long time |