(no subject)
How Many Times Does a Man Have to Apologize for Hitting a Woman?
Once you've apologized
to every flinch faced little girl
who recognizes the bones
of her fathers fists in your knuckles
every boy with a repeating pattern
now monogrammed into his palms
to every child hurried awake
and away from home
in a rusted out cars
started on mother's prayers whispered into the ignitions
to every hair swoop hidden blackeye
on the last bus out of the city
to every jaw wired shut
every bruised and cracked rib
every clump of uprooted hair-each and every follicle-one by one
every lip split open
to all the ones who didn’t pray hard enough to rev engines
who didn’t make to the bus station
to everything and everyone they left behind
to the shattered glass in the streets
every busted lock
every quaking door
every anxiety attack in the super market
every night sweat nightmare wake up check the locks
check the locks
check the locks
sleepless night
every scratch and dent “will I ever be pretty again” moment
every bitten tongue
to every mother with broken vase glued daughters
to every father feeling failure
to every grandmother who withdrew asylum from their retirement fund
every grandfather damning his now weary frame
every brother who keeps a Louisville slugger in his trunk from then on
every future lover who will gladly pay penance for your sins or walk away because of them
every best friend who fears finding flat line in dial tones
Once you make each one of these apologies
so sincerely your teeth retreat into your gums to make room for them
so honestly your hands turn to stingless jellyfish
so tirelessly you are ready to flip the tape and repeat
and repeat
and repeat
and repent
And wash your fucking hands
and remember
every apology is not entitled to acceptance Is the list poem I referenced in my last post. I'm still working on it but this is where I am with it....a little pre 30/30 posting.