that hector me are haughty men
with doctorates. They often
have grey hair and/or owlish glasses
and have frequently written scientific books
of some considerable consequence.
And yes, they are always men.
The voices in my head
that harbour me are women:
they are calming and compassionate
but don’t have too much heft behind them.
They haven’t written books.
They are flighty, ephemeral
and don’t feel safe to run to,
as though doing so
will leave me washed away
on dark and viscous tides.
So which is it:
mean but strong, or kind but weak?
I think about this as I decide
which of these words
to chuck, which to change, which to keep.
