While I’ve been desperate to get Leon back into school, it’s not so simple as that.
Back to School
You’d think
We’d all be breathing a collective sigh of relief
The kids have returned to school and we can go back to our lives
Well, no.
No, not at all
Our kids are carrying something extra in their backpacks
And when they get home
They dump it out onto us
We hold the only space they can be so vulnerable as to admit
They are worried
They are so worried
And they don’t even really understand why
They’ve been told the world is dangerous
And now we wave goodbye at the school gate
Merrily saying love you
You’ll be right
But will we? They think
You told us we wouldn’t be
We don’t know if we can trust your plastered-on smiles
They are angry
They are so angry
And we hold the only space they are safe to rage against