I saw a post on a perimenopause forum warning that a man had posed as female to spread misinformation. I was appalled at the depth of his misogyny and his desire to cause harm. When I write about something emotionally charged, I use form to contain the feelings; here, a sestina. Repeating the six words at the end of each line allowed me to layer every nuance and convey the full horror of his hatred.

Suzanna Fitzpatrick (she/her) has had poems on BBC Radio 4 and widely published in magazines and anthologies. She came third in the 2023 Shepton Snowdrops Competition, second in the 2016 Café Writers Competition, and won the 2014 Hamish Canham Prize. Pamphlets from Red Squirrel Press, UK: Fledglings (2016), Crippled (2024).

X: @suzannafitzpat
F: Suzanna Fitzpatrick.