ANDI TALBOT

Dirt

Her hair colour was as inconsistent as it was shocking.

When last I saw her it was ‘snot acid green’,

and here she was now all ‘hot bubble-gum pink’.

Who is she today?

Her nails were given much less attention I imagined,

all mismatched lengths and chips,

bitten, adorned with old cracked nail varnish from weeks before,

an array of colours and personalities,

once on display for all to see,

now reduced to this broken rainbow upon her fingertips.  

Who is she today?

Who will she be tomorrow?

She had smoker’s hands and dirt embedded in her skin. 

Who is she today?

The was a deep sadness which radiated from her,

but an unbreakable spirit inhabited that shell,

allowing her to muster up that daily mask,

in the shape of a feigned half-smile...

Who is she?

***********************copyright Andi Talbot

Andi Talbot (@andichrist19) is a 30-year-old Gemini, writer, and performer of poetry in various locations across the North East of England (and beyond, literally anywhere else that will have him!). He has been fortunate enough to have been published in a few magazines/collections, such as Vamp Cat (Feb 2019), Bonnie’s Crew (#5, October 2019) and Paper and Ink Zine (#15, Nov 2019) as well as the collection ‘Passionate Penholders’ by Ruchi Acharya (Wingless Dreamer, 2019). In his free time he enjoys reading, drinking rum and getting lost in unfamiliar cities. He is an avid Oakland Raiders, San Jose Sharks and Newcastle United fan.