Compatibility by Ruby Lawrence

Compatibility

after David Smail

did you get magic growing up?

not superstitious just life stuff
shown to you
                           like white feather, how to relate to owl above bike, how to look after your books?
no books, or few books?
                            how were you taught to relate to a pond?                 (newts+netting+bloody cat?)
can i scratch n sniff how wonder was impressed upon you i want to
                            know how                                                    confidently you wonder
                                                                                                  externally
                                                                                                  how you orient yourself re.
             these specimens i lay before you – beach/sex/moshpit/swimming/sea glass/dancing?

if i point out that sparrow will you tell me it’s symbolic?
                                                                                                                     (don’t do that please ha)

were you schooled in collective or individual magic, or a mixture of both?

it would be nice if we could jointly wring some delight from this whole thing

me, i like my magic outward, ok?         ricocheting lively like a pebble

Ruby Lawrence (she/her) is a writer from Yorkshire now based in Glasgow, with a background in writing for stage/performance. She is currently studying the MLitt in Creative Writing at The University of Glasgow. Her poetry has been published by The Moth Magazine, Pilot Press, PERIODICALS, and others. She is a graduate of The Writing Squad. Her website can be found at www.rubylawrencewriter.wordpress.com 

This website looks best on a computer or in landscape mode.
(some features might look shit on your phone)