Lipstick and the Last Thing She Said

By Michael Valentine

Wed, 25 Mar 2015
  • 881 reads
2 comments
 
Lipstick and the Last Thing She Said
 
It rained all afternoon
I can remember that much
And the last thing she said was,
“I love you, mum”
 
A little love never hurt nobody
But a lot can crush
And the last thing she said was,
“I love you, mum”
 
It rained all evening, still,
But the next morning brought sun
And the last thing she said was,
“I love you, mum”
 
As she stepped into my car
Her little sister never understood
Why Chelsea was leaving
As soon as she could
 
So Chelsea planted a petal kiss
That withered a decade of sisterhood
Desperate to make her understand
But hoping she never would
 
Father McIntyre called her a slut
And took his belt of more than once
Boys can’t be blamed for feminine shame
Because boys weren’t born with cunts
 
In the wing-mirror Chelsea painted her lips
Feeling God’s hand on her neck in the rays of the sun
And she twisted red crayon with a pout
And the last thing she said was,
“I love you, mum;
 
“And even if you weren’t always there,
 If you forgot to mention me in your prayers
 I know you care
 So whether I end up in South Manhattan,
            beneath the sun
 Or in a cold alleyway, inhabited by bums
 The bus fumes will do me
            and wind might blow through me
 But, wherever I may run,
            I love you, mum”
 
It rained all afternoon
I can remember that much
And the last thing she said was,
“I love you, mum”
Certificate 18
Poem
Bullets at the Ballet
Drama
Love

Comments

Submitted by Parson Thru on

Hi Michael. Has an almost Gothic feel to it. Quite dark. Some great lines, with the whole thing exuding an atmosphere. I think the sixth stanza probably makes the piece an 18 rating.

Parson Thru

Submitted by Michael Valentine on

Thanks very much, it's always a pleasure to have your feedback Parson. No worries; I've miscertified pieces before and probably will do again - I don't have much of a sense for that kind of thing. I'll trust your call though, even though I'm not quite on your wavelength with that one. Really appreciate you pointing that out though and, in general, thanks for reading and commenting. Very much appreciated.

Michael.