I've grown a tail
quite a pretty one, really
light brown, with soft fur
and a few dark spots
I stand up
walk away from the edge
at the top of the skyscraper
and try out my tail
if I relax it hangs down
to just behind my knees
if I get excited
it rises up behind my back
I can wag it quite easily
it sticks out the back
of my bikini pants
in quite an attractive way
I put on a mink coat
and catch the elevator
down to the ground floor
I'm going to surprise
the kids at school
with my tail
so I wiggle it up
behind my mink coat
where they won't
be able to see it
till I'm ready
then I'm in assembly
trying to control a rabble
the kids have gone mad
and won't do what I say
they run around shouting
and some leave the room
without permission
I'll have to do something
to gain their attention
how dumb
I'd forgotten the tail
I say, 'Hey kids, look at this!'
and turn my back to them
out pops the tail
I swish it round
the kids are amazed
and interested
'Cool, Ms Tozer,'
says that Milford boy
he strokes it gently
while Andrew Phoebe comes up
and measures it
and shakes his head
in admiration
then a sound
like a twanging rubber band
fills the air
round black beetles
fly across the room
farting smoke messages
like fluffy Morse Code
it's quite easy to read
something like...
'Don't forget Alice's birthday.'
I think,
There's no one of that name
in my school
then a dim memory
stirs within me
I have a vague impression
of a very tall girl
stuffing cake in her mouth
and a caterpillar
smoking something
and all sorts of weird creatures
an egg that talks too much
two fat boys
pretending to be knights
knocking themselves off horses
with match stick javelins
and a king or queen
who's red or white
dreaming or waking
it's all very vague
it puts me in quite a dreamy
mood
I'm a little girl muself now
in a white cotton dress
with heaps of frills
sitting in the back of a boat
being rowed down a river
by a funny looking man
all dressed in black
two other girls are seated
in the boat
and the funny man
is talking on and on
I trail a finger in the water
and hum to myself
Waltzing Matilda
till we climb out
near a haystack
and drink lemonade
and eat some cake
and listen to more
of the long
long
