ANAHERA GILDEA

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from the heart

to speak from the heart
one must first be willing
to tell the truth
without embellishment
or apology
and have the courage
to accept
that those to whom you speak
may poke their fingers in their ears
before you’ve properly started
and hop around the room going
la la la la la
or storm out
and slam the door
leaving broken window panes
which you’ll be paying for
since they will never speak to you again
or they may pick up the phone
with one eye always on you
and dial psychiatric services
who will take you away
since you are clearly
insane
and there is never a guarantee
that even if they stay there
perched on their seat
nodding at your words
with serious and concerned brow
that they will respond
in kind
or at all, ever

and so you cross your fingers
behind your back
and ready your list
of personal anodynes
again
so you can self-medicate
the instant they leave
chocolate biscuits
(several packets)
or a long bath
till you’ve pruned
and by the fumbling fingers
and furtive looks toward the door
it'll be both
which means a trip to the dairy
after the cashflow machine
since you may as well waste all your money
and go to the movies
instead of spending the night
wishing you’d stuck to topics
like washing
and weather
and just about anything starting with ‘W’