Dolls of Chaos
Somewhere consigned to shadow
in the nervous system of my childhood brain
a collection of paper dolls huddle,
thrawn Shikigami beings
one feline-featured with retractable claws,
whiskers varnished snow-white
another on twenty-four-hour watch,
yellow wings tucked into raggedy coal-black lining
the third, a mousey creature of tiny ears
and pencil-thin body, waistcoat of velvet-grey
and boss of those three, Fox Trot,
fur etched with blood sticky plots.
They cause mischief to haunt every hour.
Cut-outs from my infancy,
they mess with human heads,
spin them full circle.
Let me give orders,
let them steal, spy and track
the bullies, deceivers,
you enemies of my curious world.
Maggie Mackay has work in print and online including The Everyday Poet edited by Deborah Alma, Amaryllis, Bare Fiction, Indigo Dreams Publishing, The Fat Damsel, The Interpreter’s House, Prole, I am Not a Silent Poet, The Poetry Shed, Three Drops Press and Yorkmix.
atriumpoetry.com 