Releasing My Stays

Inside my bedroom I take a fresh blade
pull off my jumper, examine the ladder
in front of the mirror cut through my laces
rung by rung,
watch my grey marbled flesh
emerge from its carapace,
fold by fold.

I’m letting go,
I’m letting it all hang out,

First to go is he who wants me,
wants me to cook him dinners,
drink with him and him alone.

Next is my piano teacher
who says, I will never progress
if I don’t practice my scales.

Then, that old school friend
who phones every six months
to check which one of us is in front.
Am I loosening too quickly?
Am I throwing too much away?

I hear my mother say, Be careful dear,
there may be no one left to save you.

Margaret Poynor-Clark lives in East Lothian. Her poems have been published in IS&T, Pennine Platform, Dream Catcher and anthologies To Light The Trails  by Sidhe press, and Ukraine Anthology by Wildfire Words. She received a mentoring award from The Wigtown Poetry Festival in 2022.