Cover The Mirrors

All the mirrors were covered

every night

in my grandmother’s house

draped with coloured cloths

like the budgie’s cage.

She was worried 

that a soul might wander

and be sucked into the reflective glass

and she thought 

the souls of dreamers were very vulnerable.

I thought that the budgie must be covered

because at night

even with the door closed,

his soul might fly the cage

and 

disappear into the mirror.

Sometimes she forgot to cover the cage,

though never the mirrors

and then

I would examine the mirrors carefully

to check that it was me in there

and not his feathered soul.

Then 

I would check his cage to make sure

that he was still inside

with his soul intact

She told me not to worry

that his cage was only covered

to make it dark

so he would sleep.

But I didn’t believe her.

It made no sense 

if it was dark anyway.

So I always checked

the mirrors.

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