Hayley Bernier
wanting what you can't have
a keen eye for stony interruptions in the fields
of daydreams you wish you took
for granted out your bedroom window
hatred for the work you can’t reconcile with
you don’t recognize
his desire to be free from
dirt hands and blazing sun
scorching naked teenage shoulders
thick denim on damp thighs
his body straining in this heat
like throwing rocks will rid him of his country burden
like cursing the sun will bring it down a notch
like hating this air could pull it from his blood
such stark contrasting love
misplaced from his ungrateful dry mouth
resenting such sweet lemonade
for it was also born of this dirt he can’t bear
you wonder at the chaos of a boy
who doesn’t allow himself to gleam
or pull the freshness up from his roots
like mouthfuls from this mother
her kitchen brimming with hand-made adoration
all of it made for him
of daydreams you wish you took
for granted out your bedroom window
hatred for the work you can’t reconcile with
you don’t recognize
his desire to be free from
dirt hands and blazing sun
scorching naked teenage shoulders
thick denim on damp thighs
his body straining in this heat
like throwing rocks will rid him of his country burden
like cursing the sun will bring it down a notch
like hating this air could pull it from his blood
such stark contrasting love
misplaced from his ungrateful dry mouth
resenting such sweet lemonade
for it was also born of this dirt he can’t bear
you wonder at the chaos of a boy
who doesn’t allow himself to gleam
or pull the freshness up from his roots
like mouthfuls from this mother
her kitchen brimming with hand-made adoration
all of it made for him
Biography
Hayley Bernier (she/her) is a queer Canadian writer, who at the moment is favouring and focusing on poetry, especially in relation to her family history. She just completed her dissertation for her MSc in Creative Writing from the University of Edinburgh. Her work has been published or is forthcoming in From Arthur's Seat: Volume 5, Spoken Word Scratch Night, The Dog Door Cultural, and more. You can read her sporadic posts and see some cool photos she's taken if you follow her @burnyayhayley on Instagram.
