Turned Like a Page – Written Tuesday 14th January 2025 (Aged 49)

Turned Like a Page

I am not welcome at court anymore.
I still go to the castle,
but I am further away from the throne.

They do not want me there —
even as a jester,
or someone with stories to tell.

But then I can always ring the bell…
But I am not welcome at court anymore.

I used to be exciting,
but I was turned like a page
by the lady-in-waiting,
who apparently is a magician and a sage.

And now I adopt a different presence.
And all the gifts I thought were mine to give
are thrown into the moat.

And now I wear heavier narratives,
because I am not welcome at court anymore.

It is clear to me how people feel,
because when I go to the castle,
I feel the power-hungry chill
and the desire for me to just go.

Once I was articulate and full of ideas —
but what did I know?
I am not welcome at court anymore.

They kick me hard
as I fumble with the handle
on the exit door.

James Garratt – Tuesday 14th January 2025

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https://theboybehindtheglasses.com/category/poems-and-writing-2025/