This suburb swallows its children 

It teaches them that their anger is misplaced and misspelled 

There are schoolgirls breaking out of themselves

But they have nowhere to expand into 

Their infinity is confined within their skin

They radiate with the heat that they are not allowed to feel 

Their bodies have been collapsed into a straight skirt and polite smile

Sewing themselves back together, 

They wait for the last train home 

Knowing that this town will never belong to them 

And only once they have left

Will they find the shape of comfort

And hold it close to their chest 

Amy Gillies is a contemporary artist who lives and works in London. Employing painting and poetry as a vehicle for social and political dialogue, her practice is concerned with the memory of the past and the politics of the present. In 2019, Amy completed an MFA in Fine Art from Kingston School of Art, where she had studied a BA Hons in Fine Art and Art History previously. Since graduating, Amy has taken part in the Artists in Residence programme at One Paved Court in Richmond and has exhibited and performed in several group exhibitions including The London Art Grads Now 2021 at Saatchi Gallery. Her work has been published in Secret Chords: A Poetry Anthology of the Best of Folklore Prize, Alternate Route and The Jupiter Review.