That woman
in an oversize dress
the shadow of whose breast
lingers in my mind
lulled me
Big boys don’t cry
Big boys don’t cry
she chorused in song.
I slept eyes dry
cushioned in bold lyrics
to dream
singing the next verse
‘Big boys don’t cry
but swear an’ sweat
sigh an’ fight
for they have seen
more than one forest fire
have been stung
by more than one bee.’