*
for how many years
had you carried it
before you felt it
how long had it sat
growing as you grew
built of your own skin
tumour parasite
and ticking ticking
until you looked
who was it showed you?
who gave you the key?
your not-self sick-self
the long snake body
of your blood wrapped
tight around your brain
and you opened it
found it would not shut
no matter how long
you screamed in your bed
panic loosed bedlam
pandemonium
Andrew McMillan’s latest collection is the Polari Prize-winning playtime, published by Jonathan Cape.