Shift

I sat on the grass, hiding my legs under my skirt
“obfuscate”

“it doesn’t obfuscate very much”
he said

But everything is new now
lintrolling eyelashes

disappear
and continue to live

white smear-
ed over armpits

face and
voice talking

 List of things
to buy, however small

you’re imagining, it’s going to be smaller. Two lists of things to buy and no interest in giftgiving

kiss about
try

try
the rats of the sky

the mice of the sky
you’re the yellowhead of the earth

you’re the skylark of the bikepath 
I’m telling you that

listen to me
He said

“a train is going to hit you”
hurtful

my sister sitting on the road crying
I’m standing on the actual tracks

crying
and I bought so many things today

I dusted
so many small glass

figur
-ines in my

key-hole
t-shirt.

Amber French

Amber French grew up in Waitakaruru, Hauraki Plains. Her ancestors came to Aotearoa from Somerset in England. A lover of books and reading, she lives in Sydney now, where she writes poetry and works in a school library. Her writing can be found in publications including Takahē, Landfall, and Poetry Salzburg Review.