First Bra

On the third morning,
nurses drew blue curtains round my bed.

Time to go home. My leaving gift,
a white cotton bra –

unavailable in my size, but Babygro-soft,
no wires, lace or frills.

Marion filled the left cup
with teddy-bear stuffing to make a breast

the same shape as its twin,
then Joanna slipped straps over my shoulders

and fastened me up at the front –
five fiddly hooks into five tiny eyes.

Only, the pretend breast
was too big, too firm and I cried.

They found a box of tissues,
...