Lodged In My Throat

Lodged in my throat, is it a sticky willow or is it a conker?

Spiky.

Shot down at the age of five and festering ever since,

No rinse can clear it.

Instead, the child curled inside the wardrobe must be allowed her time,

Daisies held, hopeful to reclaim what was hers and mine

Before trauma trailed her dusky skirts across her heart line.

One voice, bell-like, to announce truth as our identities intertwine.

Emma Conally-Barklem is a yogi, freelance writer, and poet based in North Yorkshire, England. She writes on nature, mental health, grief and well-being. Her work has been featured in national and literary magazines and various publications which can be found on her website www.emmaliveyoga.com and on her Instagram page @emmaliveyoga.

Photo: Flatiron flowers by Tracy Granzyk