Like a scroll unrolled, a trumpet-blow
of storied script. A spiral show-off
in its loops and lashings, curlicues of delight.
Calligrapher’s favourite letter.
A smile’s first glint (and shy retreat).
A snake poised to strike—
or swan, head bowed elegantly in grace.
Salamander’s tail, fire-trail blaze.
Slanted head-on-hand thinker or
curl of slumber. Almost the brand
of a superhero (squared).
Half of infinity in an upright stance.
Enabler of pluralities. Seducer of verbs.
Sibilance of a sea
sailing towards shore; a shoal
of secrets shared, all the swoop
and scope of sky-high feeling,
unfettered daydreaming.
A recoil at surrender. Sound effects
of a hiss—or—softened, a kiss.
Slope of sophistication, swell of satisfaction,
all dip and curve and swerve—
helter-skelter of the pen
into unabashed self-expression.
Siobhán Mc Laughlin is a poet from Co. Donegal in Ireland. She has an MA in Creative Writing and is a creative writing facilitator. Her poems have appeared previously in The Honest Ulsterman, The Ekphrastic Review, The Poetry Village, Drawn to the Light Press, Quince magazine and more. She was longlisted in The Bangor Poetry Competition 2022. She blogs at www.a-blog-of-ones-own.blogspot.com