Hello little map,
You stamp.
A reminder of that time newspaper got stuck,
in the same destination and we ripped it off,
At bandaid speed,
Teething marks of an Irish wolfhound ornate your corners
You bend and dip into holes where three-year-old glitter resides
or an accidental splash of claims-to-be-washable paint.
Here, are the scraps of shiny aluminium foil that didn’t give up on you
The candle wax that kisses your surface
Spilled coffee that you embraced like an old friend
You try to be a good table
Stand. Up. Straight. on all fours
Theres no need to try so hard
Wood is made of stronger stuff than blood
You remain, the beating, organ of, this home
Till all six chairs are empty
As the years pass, you will always have a place in my heart
For I love your beautiful vitiligo skin.

Christy Kate Bennett is a seventeen-year-old student living in the United Kingdom with a combined love of English and the Arts. Her writing considers themes such as the passage from adolescence to adulthood, the position of women in modern society, and the process of creative thinking.