28th November 2022

birch tree

silver bark and yellow leaves

marked for felling

© Rachel Green November 2022

there's a child on the street

punching a slightly smaller boy

who doesn't want to fight back.

This is my childhood;

bullied by Peter Dasley, Chris Baker;

Tim Oswich; Janine Cauley.

It was my own fault, apparently,

for having ginger hair,

for being clever, for being poor;

for living in a big house

for doing my homework

for going to a different school

for going to college

for voting labour

for being trans

for being me.

© Rachel Green November 2022