Poem of the Day
To celebrate this year's National Poetry Week, we'll be sending you a different 'Poem of the Day' every day this week...
Today, it's 'You'll Know Her' by Sally Goldsmith – from her brand new Smith/Doorstop pamphlet, 'Singer', a winner in the 2008/09 competition.
YOU'LL KNOW HER
for sure, when she comes at you,
out of her bed of clanking trains,
hooting seas and half-finished nightmares.
You’ll know her by the ragbag of scraps and string,
her rabbit paw for luck,
the dead bumble bee in a cough drop tin.
You’ll know her by her gripey belly, her bleat,
the stick legs and fluttering hands,
her bones rattling like bikes on roads to factories,
the way she never steps on cracks,
always does what she’s told
and says sorry sorry sorry.
You’ll know her by the safe place
she keeps her counted knick-knacks,
her cupboard shining with books,
the corners she hides in,
her hoards of pencils and cut up comics,
the pedal car with one pedal and the still spinning top.
You’ll know her by her accidents at other girls’ parties
and that she might hang out the window,
might smack her brother one with a plastic spade.
Sally Goldsmith, from Singer (2009)
The Poetry Business receives financial assistance from Arts Council England.
