The World's Wife by Carol Ann Duffy

Author:Carol Ann Duffy
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Pan Macmillan UK

The Devil’s Wife

1. DIRT

The Devil was one of the men at work.

Different. Fancied himself. Looked at the girls

in the office as though they were dirt. Didn’t flirt.

Didn’t speak. Was sarcastic and rude if he did.

I’d stare him out, chewing my gum, insolent, dumb.

I’d lie on my bed at home, on fire for him.

I scowled and pouted and sneered. I gave

as good as I got till he asked me out. In his car

he put two fags in his mouth and lit them both.

He bit my breast. His language was foul. He entered me.

We’re the same, he said, That’s it. I swooned in my soul.

We drove to the woods and he made me bury a doll.

I went mad for the sex. I won’t repeat what we did.

We gave up going to work. It was either the woods

or looking at playgrounds, fairgrounds. Coloured lights

in the rain. I’d walk around on my own. He tailed.

I felt like this: Tongue of stone. Two black slates

for eyes. Thumped wound of a mouth. Nobody’s Mam.

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