A mistake made twice is a decision*
I wrote a poem about schizophrenic pottery
and there was a long silence
after I spoke to my psychiatrist
about it
On the day I turned twenty
I promised myself I wouldn't see thirty
Someone in rehab asked me
why thirty, and not your next birthday?
I stand up in front of you
questioning my worth
and all I get
is a handshake and hospital bills
I write fiction in
the vein
of an apology
Sorry for the broken pottery
*I can't get this
out of my head
sorry in advance
if it doesn't make sense**
**It's broken and messy
Daddy Dearest
Today he said I did good, and he said he loves me. It was a good day. I was sitting on the floor, playing with my barbie in my room, after cooking diner and doing the dishes. When daddy dearest busted in my room and shouted: “THE KITCHEN IS A MESS.” I did the dishes daddy what are you talking about. I said. and he came into my room, grabbed me by my hair and lifted me off the floor, and said I’ll show you lil smart ass and drug me to the kitchen by the hair. What did daddy dearest show me? I didn’t push the chair in under the table and I left the broom sitting in the corner.
I pushed in the chair and I put the boom in the closet and went back to my room trying to be quiet. With the biggest tears running down my face, there was no stopping them. My heart was so broken, I thought I did good I’m only seven I cooked and I did the dishes without being told, My heart is SO broken, Who is this man who calls himself dad? He is most evil.
How is this happening? Why is he so violent with me? Why does he hate me? What did I do?
I start whimpering and sniffling he yells at me “STOP CRYING OR I’M GOING TO TAKE MY BELT OFF AND GIVE YOU SOMETHING TO CRY ABOUT”
He knew just what to say, and he wanted to beat me. I started crying harder, I didn’t understand this hate. And here he comes he hear him stopping and I hear his belt buckle.... OH MY GOD, I GOTTA HIDE HE’S COMING! I hide under my bed! Big mistake, he pulled me out by my hair. Demanded I take my clothes off. I cry ”NO daddy please no, let me leave my clothes on” He screams, ”if I have to tell you again you get 10 more!!!” I slowly take my top off crying historically, not understanding this behavior. I was crying so hard snot is pouring out of my nose and going into my mouth I use my top to wipe it off. I beg again to please let me leave my pants on, and he yells ”10 MORE I told you, lil girl, to just do it or you’d get 10 more!” the tears couldn’t get any bigger, they couldn’t come any faster and the snot there’s no stopping it. I say “please no daddy please no” and I start taking my pants down.
BROKEN HEARTED “daddy dearest” is more than this lil girl can bare!
Athena
09/23/2020