By Amy Gillies
the stillness of
that moment
her touch
and hesitation
as she traced
the length of
the scar on my
breast
the mole they
removed was
deemed benign
the procedure
a wasted attempt to
cleanse my skin
and in its place is
the mark of the
surgeon who had
forgotten it was
his wife’s
birthday as he
secured the
stitches in place
and when her
tongue caressed the
scar tissue, I closed
my eyes and recalled
her birthday
she was born in late
autumn a contrast
to my early spring
perhaps we were
always supposed to
be as changeable
as the weather
that birthed us
Amy Gillies completed an MFA in Fine Art from Kingston School of Art, where she previously studied a BA Hons in Fine Art and Art History. Since graduating, Amy has taken part in the Artists in Residence programme at One Paved Court in Richmond and has exhibited and performed at various galleries including Saatchi Gallery and The Courtauld. Her work has been published in Secret Chords: A Poetry Anthology of the Best of Folklore Prize, Alternate Route and The Jupiter Review, Stone of Madness Press, Swim Press and Tiny Wren.