Tiny Devils
I am not made for all this —
there have to be
other places to go;
places with different spaces,
and people I know.
I am caught here
in a world
where I bruise too easily,
and tiny devils
play tic‑tac‑toe
in my head.
I am not made for all this —
just,
just leave me elsewhere.
Going round in circles,
feeling particularly square;
maybe I am caught
in the spider’s lair.
These days,
I do not fight —
I just dive
straight into the struggle.
The make‑up I have tried
to apply to my wellbeing
becomes smudged,
but into it I snuggle,
as I delve deep
into insurmountable trouble.
And I say it —
I am not made for all this,
and I know
I have said it before.
So I try
to work up some enthusiasm,
but these days
that feels harder
than ever to achieve.
James Garratt – January 2026
More poems at
https://theboybehindtheglasses.com/
More about this blog, The Boy Behind the Glasses, here
https://theboybehindtheglasses.com/2020/01/08/the-boy-behind-the-glasses-an-introduction/
More poems from 2026
https://theboybehindtheglasses.com/category/poems-and-writing-2026/
Tiny Devils – Written January 2026 (Aged 50)
