Coral Mother
She was hard and soft,
beach and rock, kids passed
through like subatomic
particles channelling
dolphins, whales, sharks,
tiddlers, tropical
colours, grey and sombre,
skin cut and skin kept in
trauma; hair and loneliness
sucked into corners
caulking floorboards
this barrier reef
for those caught
and tossed back in.
Brian China lives in Leicester and performs open-mic at Word! and Leicester Shindig!