Using A Bad Word (Poetry)

I remember when
they used to say things
like ‘He’s really got
the bugger in him’
but what did that mean?

As a child I thought
a bugger must be
something very small
and able to crawl
inside a person

What did it look like
this pesky being
much too quick to see
that flew up your nose
when you were asleep?

Little demon types
with scratchy wings
and screwed up faces
for making mischief
I drew them sometimes

When anyone asked
‘What on earth is that?’
I’d try to explain
‘It’s just a bugger’
and get in trouble