Poem by Adele Fraser (UK)

Published in The Ofi Press issue 48

Early Learning

In childhood, he had a teddy bear
with a box implanted in its tummy
that made it say ‘I love you’ 
upon being hugged.

The trouble with the design
is that that the bear could not differentiate
between a cuddle and a gut punch –
there were multiple ways of pressing its buttons.

Whenever the boy got bored with his toy, 
he would discard it casually, leaving it 
lying on the floor, where members of the family 
would accidentally tread upon it.

It lay there, grovelling, helpless 
under careless feet –
‘I love you. I love you’.

Its cringing protestations muffled,
yet somehow growing louder 
each time that it was walked over.