The kitten-shaped egg timer on the corner of the mattress beeps and they switch positions. Now she is cradling him. His head rests on her slender left arm; her right arm she drapes around his waist ... [+]
Sarah Barr writes poetry and fiction and lives in Dorset, UK. She appears in "The Best New British and Irish Poets 2019-2021". Her poetry pamphlet "January" was published in 2022 and her story collection, "Night Zoo", in 2022. "Getting Her Daughter Ready" is in Short Circuit #10, Short Édition's quarterly review.
She ties on her daughter's wings made notof wax, leather, eagle feathers, but ofpaper, ribbon, glue and glitter. Herdaughter flaps her arms andpretends to be bird, fairy,angel. She keepsdancing. Hermother says,"Stand still," as shecombs out plaits, strokeshair into shape, clips on stars,a halo, thinks of magic. She looksat her daughter's sprung feet, says, "Fly,sweetheart. Then walk, strong on the earth."