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  • Celestial Planisphere, a glow-in-the-dark jigsaw for ages 7+
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Celestial Planisphere, a glow-in-the-dark jigsaw for ages 7+

Sarah Stewart

That box held the moon and the sun and more,
a stash that made you superheroic,
expert on constellations and the zodiac,
the universe studding your bedroom floor.
When it was finished you took it to school,
and everybody laughed. Of course you knew
the danger signs (hide box! abort mission now!)
but you stood firm till one of them shoved you.
Crash landing, a hard concrete collision;
stars exploding in your field of vision,
the brute taste of loss in your mouth
as you spat out blood and a wobbly tooth.
Somebody’s mum hauled you to your feet.
Galaxies had shifted. Your voyage was complete.


Sarah Stewart

Published in Gutter, issue 16, February 2017

Tags:

bullying childhood games hobbies school universe
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Sarah Stewart

Sarah Stewart is an editor and literary consultant, the author of children's novels, and a poet.
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