'I sat, I nodded, I smiled'

by Josef Webster

‘Take a look at this pamphlet’, she said,

I sat, I nodded, I smiled

I read the esoteric pamphlet

Tossed it out,

Nothing about boys in there

Got home after a day of looks, stares, jeers.

‘How was school?’ Came bounding from the kitchen,

‘Fine’ I retorted as I trekked timorously through the house,

I sat, I nodded, I smiled.

Mum spoke about her friend Lucy who had ‘body positivity’ issues,

I’ve never heard any stories about boys.

‘We’ll get through this together’ she uttered reassuringly,

As if it was simply soluble.

I sat, I nodded, I smiled

I mustered my strength and climbed the mountain of stairs

Looked at my cadaverous frame in the bathroom mirror

I sat.

I nodded.

I wept.