L TO PAY
before I knew the alphabet
I played freely
mud was for squelching
dog saliva was wet love
grass was softer than concrete
and I was small enough
to crawl under fences
later
I weighed the cost
of dirt on my dog’s paws
covered the lawn with mulch
and coveted cow droppings
in my neighbour’s paddock
behind the electric wire
now
with heaven and hell
behind me
every letter has to count
About Leanne Murphy
Leanne is a self-employed performing arts teacher, songwriter and musician.
