Sophie knew what was what
she worked on our Track & Trace desk
monitoring the major client’s jobs
letting them know when something was delayed
or was about to go seriously wrong
but whenever it got too busy
without anyone noticing her looking around for some help or support
her anxiety would kick in
and she had two big bottomless eyes
like something deep that knew the sea
and you could sense that she was softer than an octopus
only twice as wise
that she’d learned to grow three hearts
one for working one for living and one for her anxiety
while the others in there were shark-cold with their metals and steel
while she all warm and flesh and caring
with the children still to come

they say aliens are out there somewhere
that when they come, they will bring us a different knowledge
but fuck that
if we had 10 Sophies with all that blood and spirit dashing about inside them
that would be enough for me
that would even be enough I reckon
to convince all of the scientists to turn their telescopes around
and begin to start examining
how much more beautiful and rich we are than the stars

Martin Hayes is a working-class poet from London. This poem is from Selected Poems — A Few More Sunrises Yet Before It Ends (Broken Sleep Books, 2025).

Poetry submissions to thursdaypoems@gmail.com.