POEM — she was never there

She busied herself with tidying the house

Worried about what others would think

If the carpets were not vacuumed in straight lines

Or if the curtains drooped or,

— hung askew

 

Go play outside, she said, don’t make a mess

So we did; not telling of our days,

Our childish whispers fell on deaf ears

Uh huh, honey-ed, and ignored

 

She prepared meals – suppers served at 5:15 sharp!

Just as my father walked in; and we froze

The entire house buffeted by his roars

And threats to harm –

Ourselves or our loved ones,

Not Mr. Stuffy, my sister’d cried

 

The sharp crack of a door splintering,

Hinges strained and twisted

As we huddled on one side

And he raged at the other

 

While she stood there

Wondering what the neighbours

Would think

 

My mother.

 

*

Carly Zee is a writer and dreamer of strange things with work appearing on Scriggler, Shot Glass Journal among other places. You can reach Carly through https://carlyzee.wordpress.com/