My father’s wide, bronze buckled, black leather big game hunting belt
was said to be ever ready
First order, stand in the corner
Accompanied by alcohol, seeming unsteady
For punishment to be dealt
Abject fear, can be truly wearing
Repetitive impact, sharing
No protection afforded…
ever
Bearing
down, it removes your breath
“for your own good”,always reported
Once in the neighborhood after purchasing fireworks,
wrong doings thus rewarded
My pillow received my sobs, my hooks
One slow wrap around the hand for a definite grip
as with paint mixed with sand
Frightened by just the looks
It’s the space before the hit that is scariest
Severe reprimand
“Let’s go on an over night trip”
We always had big dark sedans fueled by anger,
alcohol, and distortion
Sardined in with Aunts, Uncles
and mother to no avail
To go for a sail,
all screaming in the black back seat to slow
slow down, that sign,
stay on road or guardrail
White knuckles
Sphincter factor: nine
Oncoming traffic, wail
No protection afforded…
Black nights continued
Mom always said, “No one could stop him”
Wrong lane continuum
Squealing rubber, bad handling reflected
(Huge 1950’s Autos): with the ability
to withstand multiple crunches
Not me
Often ending in a ditch
“On a wing and a prayer”
Just getting there
Hearts heaving
Terror retention
Always believing
I would die
Next day: emotions collected, (Sure), No reflection
“A good cry”
Why is it only I remember
“Liquid Lunches”
Why was I bad when he was drunk
Ending in punches
“Levittown Brunches”
This forever sunk (in)
On potato fields constructed
a model home
“It was the Army”
That made him that way
“Sake John’s on Maui”
I dug deep for this (Spelunk)
“Shell shock”
Five chimneys a day
“Let’s try the Pu Pu Platter”
Polio pock
(All I can say
is it all did matter)
