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Punched in the Gut – Heart Broke
cut his hours
with a new baby
at home and
citizenship
papers filled
out
thirteen years
working never
missed a day
cut his hours
to part-time
in a full-time
life
bad enough
to tell the story
to a guy in the
next town
“Send him over”
“Lord I need help!”
“Lord I need help!”
“I can pay him eight hundred”
A week?
Heart swells with
Vicarious hope
“Oh he’s from the “Islands”
“Black?”
“Eh – I take it back -
but… if you have somebody
else –
Send them over
“Lord I need help”
Somebody else?
Nobody “is” this guy
Leave heart-broke
Out on the street
Punched in the gut-
wind-knocked
out of me
walking woozy
"Poor not broke"
or "broke not poor"
not sure
which way it went
but in those no sleep-
away camp days,
sharing creamsicles
dripping the stoop
sweet watching the
ants conga lining
as cold hydrant water
cooled on our just
soaked heads and
misted the street
til it sizzled
we wasn't neither
we
was
smiling – rich
kids
**********
Broke but not gone
Sweet grey muzzled dog
Lies far too still
Shaggy head
Held between
Her little one’s
Insistent hands
Shaking
in early morning
Light
Toddler voice
Calls
“Mama! He’s broke”
Watching from stair-top
Mama’s heart cracks
Nice little collection, the first one is very powerful.
ReplyDeleteThanks wrote it quickly from the "gut" ...
DeleteThe first one is great, but it was the third one that made me cry. You really know how to move your readers.
ReplyDeleteGreat blogs, by the way. I love the one with writing prompts and I'll visit it again soon.
Aw Natasa - thank you for visiting - I am happy you enjoyed :). Will get over to you soon - again much appreciated.
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