the window sill

my house is pretty small
and the walls are paper-thin
i can hear my neighbour snore
the steps of the upstairs dog
and i’m sure they all know
it’s my mom who’s always yelling
my room makes a pretty cage
with windows flanked by bars
but it wasn't all like that
when i was little

i'm eight years old
i always sit on the window sill
and let my legs swing through the bars
it's way past my bed time
after looking at the cats
that lie down on the back garden
a lady feeds them every day
i don’t know her
but i love her
as much as i know love
i'm eight years old
and when my legs swing
if my house is small
or if my neighbour is too loud
are things i cannot think of
all i can see is my room
made of the green grass and daisies
the birds leaping branch to branch
the cats dozing in the shade
and i can hear my own voice
in the sound of people walking by
i feel the breeze in my hair
all the cats have a name
and i’m real

i don’t remember when my legs
no longer fitted
i don’t remember if i ever missed it once
i'm too old to live in my back garden
too old to fail to see
after they robbed my little house 
there’s twice as many bars
and my child’s legs won’t ever fit