Beloved sweetheart bastard. Not a day since then
I haven't wished him dead, Prayed for it
so hard I've dark green pebbles for eyes,
ropes on the back of my hands I could strangle with.

Spinster. I stink and remember. Whole days
in bed cawing Nooooo at the wall; the dress
yellowing, trembling if I open the wardrobe;
the slewed mirror, full-length, her, myself, who did this

to me? Puce curses that are sounds not words.
Some nights better, the lost body over me,
my fluent tongue in its mouth in its ear
then down till I suddenly bite awake. Love's

hate behind a white veil; a red balloon bursting
in my face. Bang. I stabbed at a wedding-cake.
Give me a male corpse for a long slow honeymoon.
Don't think it's only the heart that b-b-b-breaks.

Carol Ann Duffy

Photographer: Katie Eleanor, Stylist: Tom Bloomfield, MUA & Hair: Siobhan Drew, Model: Charlotte Benson @ TESS

1, 2 & 3: White dress with floral detail by Z Mode; gloves and veil stylist’s own. 4: Sheepskin dress by Silvina Maestro. 5, 6 & 7: Embellished bodysuit by Jessica Morris; split-leg skirt & shoes by Phoebe Blockley-Campton; bracelet by Marina Prokopiva. 8: Hat, knitted jumper and skirt by Maria Kamper; necklaces by Marina Prokopiva; shoes by Phoebe Blockley-Campton. 9. Sheer embellished dress by Phoebe Blockley-Campton; embellished bodysuit (barely seen) by Jessica Morris; shredded knitwear by Shabira Dowley. 10: Roll-neck bodysuit by Gregory Nicholas; sheer dress by Jessica Morris; picture frame by Shabira Dowley. 11: Skirts by Gregory Nicholas; black lace bodysuit by I.D Sarrieri. 12 & 13: Black sheer dress worn as cape by Silvina Maestro; black lace bodysuit by I.D Sarrieri; black jumpsuit by Ell & Cee; knitted black skirt by Maria Kamper; bracelet by Marina Prokopiva. 14 & 15: Hat, knitted jumper, dress and shoes by Maria Kamper; necklace by Marina Prokopiva.