Spilled Milk Poem by Brian Mayo
Spilled Milk
I don’t want to hear about
your garden
or what you had for dinner
or
how much you love
the rain.
Don’t show me
another mountain
or tell me about
your dreams.
I’ve had more than enough
sunlight and stained-glass.
I want to know how you felt
Christmas morning,
when your dad
kicked the dog so hard he
broke two of its
ribs.
Tell me about the lady next-door who
backed-over her cat, after
asking if the coast was clear,
and how she looked at you accusingly
as it lay squirming on the driveway.
Show me the nine-year old boy
who did a lousy job
sweeping the garage
and got yanked out of bed
at three in the morning
on a school night to
do it right this time.
Let me see him
hiding in his bedroom closet while
his mother runs to
the neighbor’s in
her nightgown and the dog
is being drowned in the family
pool.
Tell me about the time
your dad suddenly reached for the salt,
and you flinched so hard
you knocked your milk all over
the restaurant floor.
Tell me about the good times.
I liked how the entire form of the poem changed just as we unveil the evil subject matter it addresses. The first twelve lines are very sing-songy. Almost metrical. But then it changes. It becomes like short paragraphs of horror. Tight and emotional and descriptive snapshots of an unfortunate childhood photo book. Very good read. Thanks for sharing Brian
Little things we do not pay attention to, depicting so nice the wrong world we should change.
Brian, you bring out the tragedy of child abuse and a horrible father figure (if the one depicted can even be called that) to perfection.. My respect for you Brian.. The best poem of yours I have read so far. It simply evoked a whole spectrum of emotions within me - anger, pain, anguish, hatred, disappoinment, sadness, rage, and maybe pity too... Incredible poem.. Thank you..
So this poem highlights childhood abuse in a kind of angry I one upped you kind of way. Its very distubring and moving and I got caught up in the emotion of it. To juxtapose horrific childhood experiences to mundane poetry is clever. Well written...but...Oh so SAD! : ( ....And the title is brilliant (Spilled Milk...literal and figurative....)
I fervently hope this is not biographical. It is a good thing to get down on paper so it doesn't rattle around in your head quite so loudly (if, indeed it is factual) . Strongly written. Got to be at least a personal witnessing. I have been very lucky in my lifetime to the extent of not being able to come up with a comparably miserable scenario. Peace, Brian
This poem has not been translated into any other language yet.
I would like to translate this poem
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4/16/2024 1:29:13 PM # 1.0.0.1119
Sometimes, a rare bird is thine poetry, But always moving, Never causing apathy. Very well written poem with blood curling subjects.