tidies by andrew downs ears blue lips birth spring geese chemistry electro-rationalism starlings ray academic competition hannah ball age dated breath bait godfatherly breath So she couldn’t use her bike. It was a new moon. There was a pool of cat breath on the floor by the back tyre which she had to shift with a spoon. This was a familiar monthly chore, and she kept a special absinthe spoon behind the kitchen mirror for the purpose. This was so that everyone knew not to use it for their cornflakes. There were some months tho’, when she wished the spoon was a spade, there was that much to shift. “ Did you have a good weekend then" “ I spent some of it with you” “ Oh, yes. How about, o, say, Thursday then. How was last Thursday for you?” May 1997 © Andrew Downs