arrives in the night
gap-toothed    goggling
 
grunts into bed 
frayed rope dragging
 
rough head on my pillow
plays nightmares into me
 
I wake under his ragged paws
his hot stink    glass button eyes

 
Andrea Small lives in Sheffield. She is a member of Heeley Women Writers and is currently studying for an MA in Creative Writing at Manchester Metropolitan.University. She runs singing groups for all sorts of people, believing that we all can – and should – sing.