How Aeroplanes Stay in the Air

The plane goes to the gym every morning
before work and holds that plank.

The plane performs round-the-worlds
with the kettlebells, flexes its wings in the mirror.

The plane exposes itself to daylight first thing
in the morning to decrease cortisol.

Same motivational playlist. Same chicken breast.
Same porn category. Sunday reset.

The plane listens to podcasts at double speed
and turns the dial cold at the end of a shower.

The plane practises good sleep hygiene
and keeps its alarm on at the weekend.

The plane doesn’t think about what happened. 

The plane uses factor 50 daily. The plane is very good
at never thinking about what happened at all.

Mad Sexy

After Jeni Olin

I think it would be so fucking hot
if you dressed up as Atlas
and I dressed up as the world
and you lifted me
right above your shoulders
real gentle like a baby. Like
a daisy. Like a sung note – like a hello.

Billie Manning is from Hackney. She is a Barbican Young Poet and her work has appeared in Magma, bath magg and Popshot, as well as Bad Betty’s Survival anthology. She teaches poetry courses at City Lit and elsewhere.