The 'Weird' Child Poem by Lawrence S. Pertillar

I was the 'weird' child.
You know...
The odd one out!
The one with chores and responsibilities.
The one all the kids would laughed at,
When I had to stay home...
Sometimes with my sister and I alone.
And told not to answer the door or telephone.
And if we did...
'You'll be sorry for that,
When I get back.'
My mother would say.
In a way that was understood.

And when my mother and father would return...
No excuses were made,
Or jokes told.

If the floor wasn't swept...
A frown I would get from mom.
If I forgot to line the garbage can with newspaper.
I was told to empty it.
Wash it quick...
And do it without a sound.
And I was grounded,
If I looked as if I wanted to say something about it.
My father 'tried' to be strict.
But my mother handled the 'raising' business.

My mama had us go get a 'switch'.
From a bush.
Strip it.
And whipped us with it.
If we did not do what mama said!

I was the 'weird' child.
Made to feel different then by my peers.
And today I see many of them,
That bring me to tears.

They don't know how to do anything...
But complain!
And when mama would lift up that switch,
Prepared to swing it...
I gritted my teeth.
And I closed my eyes.

But she was the one that ended up crying.
My sister and I would look at each other...
As if to wonder why.

~She whipped us...
And she's crying? ~

'Sssshhh. Shut up! '