innocent wallpaper

innocent wallpaper

through the wall,
i can hear
a family failing
next door.

a couple in the thirties,
nearly, average
intelligence.
i think
they drink.

they stopped fighting
for a few minutes once,
and have a son
he is five.
messy hair,
withdrawn,
doesn’t say much.

on a Friday
she goes out.
comes back late.
in her absence,
i hear the boy
being yelled at.
daddy teaches him
to break things with a hammer.
teaches him the word
‘bitch’.
and how to hit women.

saturday night,
is different.
he goes out.
in his absence,
i hear the boy
being smacked.
mummy teaches him
words;
like ‘hate’, and ‘cunt’,
and ‘why wont you love me’
and, ‘you bastard.’

at christmas,
they send cards
from the three of them.

today, outside
in the garden,
they play games.
silently and awkwardly.
another pairing,
attempting to paper
over the cracks,
with innocent wallpaper.