Private, Confidential 2. Poem by Margaret Alice

Foreground me and background me
are different, background me has too
many feelings, foreground me – the
mask I wear – must remain the same,
never showing anybody the Alice
behind the scenes still feeling young,
reactions to words much too strong;
all things triggering reactions from back-
ground me - feeling that entity looking
out through my eyes

Wishing I could set her free, but she
does not meet the norm, she is too
weak, liable to misunderstanding,
fearing all the tags people hang
around your neck if you are not strong
and self-assured, she is safe all hidden
away, allowing her to read with me
and feeling her emotions, private,
confidential, that way she’s safe…


Off To Cry Somewhere 1.

Unpacked my bookcase, moved heavy stuff,
now tired and sleepy, need a break, reality is
closing up, the world closing over my head, too
tired to concentrate, after all the activity and
adrenaline I have no power left; pride keeps
\my head up in the air, resting my thoughts
in heady words is not enough, I need to think –
with screens going up, I can’t see my colleagues
any more, feel like crying in disappointment,
visual contact was fantastic, now isolated with
the irritating typing sounds undiminished, I have
a crying spell, it was nice to see Hanlie smiling
all the time, now I’m an animal in the darkness,
hearing but not seeing, this is awful, I’m going
off to cry somewhere…