she’s insanely afraid
of all bugs
spiders, worms ‘n garden slugs
anything that flies
or slinks or crawls
soon induces
hysterical squalls
her partner
(who’s also her best friend)
desperate to bring
her shrieks to an end
made her a gift of
flowers an’ chardonnay
an’ a can
of industrial strength bug spray
thus armed
she wandered ‘round her flat
peerin’ into nooks ‘n crannies
where bugs might be at
she sprayed beneath
the plant stand
an’ beneath the TV
an’ blasted underneath
the leather settee
feelin’ safe now
she stowed the spray under the sink
turned the lights down low
then made them both a drink
stroked his hair, his cheek,
whispered soft as a summer’s breeze,
“if only someone made a spray to kill painful memories”
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