Sport 37: Winter 2009
Helen Rickerby
Helen Rickerby
When the lights go down
One
I can't be sure, but I think
it was my first time
in the dark, while the white snow beasts yowled
my mother at my side
Possibly I fell asleep
It was for my brothers really
I think my mother wore her white coat
Two
It seemed unlikely that it was my first day of school
but this was later confirmed by reliable sources
There were lions and elephants
and someone rolled Jaffas down the aisle
I guess it must have been educational
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Three
My first time alone, I was already twenty-two
I went in the afternoon
It was disappointing—
a lust-piece for the beauty of youth and Tuscany
very nearly put me off Jeremy Irons forever
Four
The longest was a three-at-once
or rather, one after the other
Water, Snow, Blood
My intermission burger was mundane
When I came out, it was raining
and already twilight
Chris's life, as directed by Ken Russell
Ever since Ken Russell started directing my life
it's been one explosion after another
And one morning I woke
to find an anteater on my chest
tearing at my throat
'That's the anteater of self-doubt,'
explained Ken, who was standing
beside my wardrobe just out of shot
Helen's life, as directed by Christine Jeffs
I spend a lot of time in the bath
or else
contemplating water
Drowning is an ever-present possibility
As I meander soulfully through the pines
I am grateful
for the sunshine
and the soundtrack