"Normal social interaction"

I teach my children
The little things of please and thank you
Spending money, making change,
"This is my name, who are you?"

I teach my children
Not to nag and not to whine
That "How are you?" is answered "Fine,"
I teach my children

I teach my children
To modulate their tone of voice
To choose and live with their own choice
And I teach them to apologise

Some people learn this stuff with ease
But for me it has always been impossible
Desperately confusing, frightening, alienating
All impenetrable forest, no trees -

So I teach my children,
Though perhaps they don't need to be taught
Perhaps they'd absorb all the rules they ought
If I did not teach my children?

E is for Emer

E is for Emer
With three outstretched lines
Or four, five or six,
Increasing each time -
E is for Emer
Who writes on her own
A splendidly rendered
E like a comb.

Jobsworth

Young and beautiful fun-filled people
Pouring on the bus in crowds
Laughter bubbling in the back seats
Smiles and banter, not too loud -
Flushed and tired and out of breath
Busty, angry, shrill, grey-haired
She wants to see some tickets, now!
The driver climbs the narrow stairs
Of course, they don't have tickets ready
(Paying fares won't make you rich!)
They passed one ticket through the window
Sharing's friendly! "You FAT BITCH!"
The thieves were younger, far more pretty,
Mostly no-one checks, that's true,
But I wish I'd spoken slightly louder
Though all I said was "How dare you?"