*

Armed to the teeth

with half the years that I have now,

he sat on our goals.

Eating jelly babies.

The sugared flour

ruining his camouflage.

Dark hands proffering gelatine,

I took what he offered.

Rising, he kicked the ball back in,

rejoined his squad,

and the game continued.

From behind a twitchers curtain,

a loving call to which I ran

straight into the slap.

The child’s learning.

Do not take sweets from the enemy.

*

Biography

Born in 1972, Hugh was brought up between rural Wicklow and troubled Belfast. He is one of nine brothers, thirty six cousins and is a father of two. He has a deep love of both words and numbers, but as with his children, can never decide which he loves best.