HARD

From knocked over to knocked up to knocked out

flat

in less than a year, flat.

It has been a hard year.

There have been better times.

She should have known

that nothing so good

could last.

She should have seen

that the times would change her

make her something different

from that which he loved

something weaker

something uglier

something fat.

And now she's knocked down, flat.

She prays the child doesn't see the trouble

remains blind to all but her mother's chest

and she hopes that he swiftly realizes

opens his eyes and begins to change

and recognize the thing they had

and comes back home with open hands

and drops his fists and recalls the pleasures

and sings to her like he did at first

and holds her like he did at first

and loves her like he did at first.

She hopes he can have sense knocked back

into his head which used to hold

such joy in her presence

such pure reverence

as much affection as she thought

her body could take it knocked her over

she loved him so and still she does

though now she wonders if she'll see him

again in this year of hard knocks.

previous - next - contact me - older entries - latest entry - profile