Sandra

I still imagine Sandra
in the deep blue velvet dress
with white Peter Pan collar.

Sandra’s mum
finding it all too much
put Sandra’s head in the gas oven
along with those
of her two brothers –
a strange meat and two veg. -

after giving them a sleepytime drink
of hot chocolate and tranquillisers –
they were all under six
so would have fit quite nicely.

After tucking her children up
making sure they’d never wake
Sandra’s mum threw herself out
of the upstairs bedroom window
breaking both her legs.

(c) Liz Willows 2000