Rebecca Gethin

Emily 1954-56

Her hair was dead straight and looked
neat with a slide behind her ear.
Mine was curly and wild. Almost 

like springs. Hers stroked her head, almost
seemed quiet. Mine always looked
harumscarum with my sticky-out ears. 

I wanted a ribbon like hers beside my ear.
Kirby grips scored my scalp and almost
never stayed put, so my hair made me look

naughty but look, a lock’s almost curled round her ear.

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Rebecca Gethin has written 5 poetry publications and 2 novels. She was a Hawthornden Fellow and a Poetry School tutor. Her poems are widely published in various magazines and anthologies. She won the first Coast to Coast pamphlet competition with Messages.