Thursday, April 30, 2015

Overread at Table 1: Bread and Stones

The fifteen year old watches his sister
spend her college money on a fake suntan,
get prescription contact lenses,
buy a dress for the prom.

He asks her if she's finished her FAFSA.
She slaps him with a vulgarity and tells him
to mind his own business
or he'll be walking to school.

The fifteen year old watches his mother
wither in the evenings, after returning home,
numb from months of shouts that filled the house,
ending with threats to leave.

He asks his dad "Why don't you make her stop?"
His dad just shrugs, and asks the mom if he
can bring her some tea, and she says,
"You would understand if you were their bio-dad!"

The fifteen year old looks at his dad,
wonders why, if the man is supposed to bring the bread,
why then, in this house
has he allowed so many stones?





MR
2015-0430

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