Too Cold for Snow...

Cherry

By Silver Spun Sand

Wed, 02 Mar 2016
  • 2749 reads
8 comments
 
Daytimes, she cleaned rich folks’ houses;
evenings, she worked the late shift
at a local hospital laundry.  
 
Wanted her to tuck me in at nights, 
not him; didn’t want to play no secret games
go to places, so dark, even with the gas-lamp on
no child should have gone.
 
Just wanted a bedtime story... wanted moonlight, 
glinting on her bangles, to hear them jingle, growing ever fainter 
as she crept down them stairs, like in the old days 
when my real dad was there...
 
wanted her to unteach the things he taught me...to unsay
the things he’d said...wanted much more than Vaseline to make
the hurt go away...a pain lingered on –
the more intense.
 
If only I’d known, then, it was all about
putting clothes on us kids' backs...more coal on the fire
more often than not, though...it was still way too cold –
even for snow.
Certificate 15
Poem
Silver Spun Sand Poems
Love

Comments

Submitted by VeraClark on

Very affecting. Colloquial tone is effective, child-like lens too.

 

Submitted by Silver Spun Sand on

For all these two little words mean, and much more, thank you.

Tina

 

Submitted by Rhiannonw on

Tragic. You've put this under 'Love' because love needs more care than clothes and coal. Rhiannon

 

Submitted by Silver Spun Sand on

Your finger on the pulse, as ever, Rhiannon.

Tina

 

Submitted by Starfish Girl on

Chilling, both title and content. You make the characters 'live' in so few words.

Lindy

 

Submitted by Silver Spun Sand on

Your thoughts as ever, Lindy, highly valued.  Thank you so much for them.

Tina

 

Submitted by airyfairy on

I am always so envious of the way poets such as yourself can create wholly believable characters and situations by the skillful placing of relatively few words, and by the rhythm you create.  This was very moving, and that last stanza will stay with me.

Submitted by Silver Spun Sand on

af, your words more than appreciated.

Tina