Gerard at 35
What sandwich? you ask, andGerard says Slug sandwich
laughing at your shock so much his tummy wobbles.Postman Pat’s been his hero for thirty years, and he claps
to greet the red van, as if each time is the first time.
Gerard has a blue clip-on tie and yellow smiley-face braces
because once his trousers fell down. He’ll open the door
and shake hands to welcome you, saying Happy New Year
even when it’s June. He can’t say much, but he knows
who’s kind and who’s not. He sneaked behind critical Carol
and twanged her tights. When she shrieked, no one
told him off. Cheeky monkey he said to himself, husking
his belly-laugh. Gerard likes church on Sunday
but on weekdays Church away and Lord Jesus Christ
no thank you. When a visitor came to help him understand
his dad had died, Gerard said Our Father in heaven.
His sister wept. Gerard plunged a hand in his pocket and
pulled out one tissue, then another, like a string of flags,
his face like Tommy Cooper’s when the magic went wrong.
Sue Norton has been published in various anthologies, for example Tools for the Trade (Scottish Poetry Library), and in magazines including Poetry News, The Rialto, Southword, The North, Orbis and London Grip. She has won prizes in the Rialto Nature competition, the York prize, Enfield Poets, and Poetry Society Members competition.