APRIL

OMG IT’S SO LATE I APOLOGISE!! the soundtrack to this is emmy the great’s “two steps forward” and the first song on the amelie soundtrack.

SWEARING ON THE HORNS

I knew a boy who said he was so cockney
that he was born in the churchyard
as the bells rang, and he was brought up

to pray every sunday, to comb his hair when wet;
to live under the bells. I came from further north
and I swore on the horns, everyone in Highgate

tried to catch newcomers out and I was in.
I knew the oath was no oath but permission;
we signed our names to prove that we could eat

brown bread or white bread, kiss whomever we wanted
as long as they wanted to, and to swear that we
would be kind. I swore that I wouldn’t lay a hand

on anyone. I knew a boy who stumbled when swearing
but he could rhyme like he’d got a mnemonic system
instead of a vocabulary, and I tried to teach him how to swear

on the horns one lazy afternoon, we settled into a rhythm;
you must not drink small beer while you can get strong,
except you like the small the best… he laughed and said

fuck, fuck, isn’t that swearing enough for you?
I shrugged and leant on my elbows, paused to hear the clocks
chime five, and I said you must not kiss the maid

while you can kiss the mistress, except
you like the maid the best. He politely finished
my drink and asked well what’s the difference then?