He — or was it she? br was a child who said little br but walked, endlessly, just looking br br or stood still for minutes, hours, br and became what they looked at br br was from a large family br but still people said, you’re an only child aren’t you br br was it seems very happy in themself br but no-one asked, so never said br br kept themself to themself, which annoyed br other children, who bullied them br br and then were even more annoyed br when they didn’t play the victim br br failed examinations and yet br was always wrapt up in a book br br occasionally did things like cutting themselves br and was told off but never questioned usefully br br wrote poems secretly but was unconcerned br whether people read them or not br br was good to be with as long as you br didn’t expect anything of them br br was secretly loved by some br who never liked to say so br br because what they loved somehow br didn’t have a name br br years later, some of them read the poems br and knew what they had lovedbr br Michael Shepherdbr br