Ladybird, Ladybird
After Paula Rego’s Nursery Rhymes
You seem very far from home
and who would after all choose a grit pocked
pavement to languish on when
they could be eating aphids in
my overgrown garden?
Mother Mary isn’t coming my way it seems
not in this neighbourhood at least.
But you really should be worried. Infanticidal
stuff is happening while
you amble along, deliberately casual, taking
in the scenery, navigating unrepentant snail
trails, choosing not
to helicopter the hell out of here.
Can’t you smell the fire in the fields?
You haven’t landed on my clothes in years.
Why not try it now so I can purse my lips
and let my gusty wind fritter you away back home.
I’ll trade you just the one wish.
Jan Swann is a Welsh poet now living in Bristol. She performs at open mics and as a featured poet at events in and around the city. Jan has appeared on BBC Upload and been published in various online magazines such as Nuthatch Magazine, Black Nore Review, Apricot Press, and in the anthologies Whispered Word Poems, Bonds and Poets Walk.