PARTNER POEM TO SUNNY VOICE
I REMEMBER THE YELLING
RECALL ABSORBING IT MOST IN THE CAR
THOSE FRIGHTENING VIBRATIONS
MOST TIMES
THEY WERENT DIRECTED AT ME
I WAS JUST A WITNESS
THE YELLING
IT WAS LOUD AND DAMNING
THERE WERE PAUSES OF SILENCE
MADE ME SWEAT
WAITING FOR THE YELLING TO ERUPT AGAIN
I WOULD LOOK DOWN
AT MY HANDS
FOCUS ON THEM SO HARD
GET DIZZY
WHEN WOULD THE VIOLENT NOISE
DEGENERATE INTO PLAIN VIOLENCE
WINDOWS WERE UP
NO AC
HOT IN THE CAR
OUR CAR
OUR LITTLE BUBBLE
FILLED WITH NOISE
NOONE ELSE ON THE FWY KNEW OR COULD HEAR
SOMETIMES I WOULD PEEK UP
QUICKLY LEST I BECOME A TARGET
AND SEE ALL OUR HEADS DOWN
CHINS ON CHESTS
EYES ON LAPS
HANDS OPEN
PALMS UP
WE WERE ALL WAITING
JUST WAITING
FOR THE YELLING TO END
FOR THE YELLING TO DISSIPATE AWAY
LIKE THE STINK OF FECES IN THE RESTROOM
NEAR OUR DESTINATION
THE YELLING WOULD END
JOKES WOULD COME THEN
FUNNY VOICES
CUES THAT THE YELLING WAS OVER
AND WE COULD UNCOIL
FROM OUR PROTECTIVE STANCES
WE WOULD LIFT OUR HEADS
OUR EYES WOULD STARE FORWARD
FAR UP THE ROAD
BUT OUR HEARTS REMAIN IN THEIR DEFENSIVE POSES
BRACED FOR THE NEXT BATCH OF YELLING
I WONDER
WHAT WOULD HAVE RESULTED
NOT JUST THEN
BUT FOR AN ENTIRE LIFETIME SINCE
IF
DURING THE YELLING
I HAD CRACKED A JOKE
OR YELLED BACK
THREW A PUNCH
DID SOMETHING
BESIDE HIDE
WAIT
TOLERATE
MAKE EXCUSES FOR THE YELLING
IM STILL HIDING
WAITING TOLERATING SELF BLAMING
MAKING EXCUSES FOR THE YELLING
SMALL SWEATING AND SCARED
IN MY SAFETY
COWARD
EVEN MORE COWARDLY
IM YELLING NOW
WHEN I CATCH MYSELF IN THE ACT
I STOP
GET DOWN ON MY KNEE
MAKE MYSELF REAL SMALL
AND I APOLOGIZE AND EXPLAIN
BECAUSE I KNOW ABOUT THE YELLING
ITS LOUD
AND IT ECHOES
OH POOR HAFJAK
YOU HEARD SOME YELLING HUH
YOU POOR THING
AT LEAST YOU NEVER STARVED
I WAS BEATEN DAILY
I WAS SPAT ON J--ZED ON
I WAS MOLESTED AND RAPED
I WAS MURDERED
I JOINED A GANG
OKAY
GOOD
WRITE YOUR OWN POEMS
JAK
OVER AND
OFF
COPYRIGHT 2009 HAFJAK DIVIZ
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