The Astigmatic (Poem) U18 entry



At seven the sun that lit my world blew out

leaving me alone in mist. Through which I probed 

my way to school, guessed wildly at the sums

whose marks on the board I couldn't even see.


They wanted to send me away to a special school

I refused, and coped as best I could with half

the light lost in the mist, screwing my tears 

into my work, my gritted teeth. My writing-


Which crawled along and withered. Thinking thoughts at will

but none of it comes across. Even now friends ask

"How do you read that scrawl?" The fact is, I don't

Nobody could. I guess. But how would you 


like my world where parallels join,

perspectives vary of sight? Once in a shop

I walked towards a sign marked 'Gents' over 

a placard and crashed to the floor


Well, it looked alright to me. Until those step stairs, 

people told me of later that flattened to lines

in my half-world. The rest imagination 

supplied: When you've a half line you extend it.


The lenses drag their framework down my nose. 

I still can't look strangers in the face, 

watching behind glass at them.

It makes me look shifty at interviews.


I wake up with a headache, chew all day

aspirins, go to bed dispirited

still with a dull ache at the back of my skull,

and sleep. Then, in my dreams, the sun comes out.

  • Faiza Anwer   8/25/2023 9:32:53 PM

    Loved it. Keep up the great work!


  • AdminStan   7/27/2023 5:24:39 PM

    Please check your email! Call Administrator Stan 00973 39594114


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welcome to the oceans of stories that wave around in my brain đź‘‹đź‘‹

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