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Aurora Antonovic |
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Poetry Reading 101 I can't do it I mean, I never was really good at this sort of thing anyway You know, being proper at serious moments I laugh at funerals In church During reprimands from those in authority Yeah, I know - I need to grow up Once, I laughed at a friend's presentation He was talking about the importance of salt, For crying out loud. He asked me to sit in the front row to lend moral support To maintain eye contact with him so he wouldn't lose courage Instead, I dissolved into giggles that grew to loud guffaws and I was forced to leave the room, in shame (although more to his than mine) I've tried self-mutilation (nails dug into the palms of my hands) All to no avail I am destined to laugh my whole life through Even now, as I am anticipating reading this little ditty In the poetry café next session, I am erupting in giggles That start from the soles of my feet And travel all the way To my babbling mouth Maybe if I brush my hair and wear something nice No one will ever notice. Dear I would sit and listen to them back and forth "What do you want for breakfast, dear" He would grunt an answer, She would appear with a plate of badly burned eggs, Dry toast, and old coffee: "Is that all right, dear?" To tell me there was nothing to eat for dinner We weren't supposed to know she denied herself, Denied her children, Stand so straight she'd hope she'd disappear Stew, Soup, And his favorite: doughnuts, Chocolate glazed, The ones he loved best His eyes would light up, His hands, thin and transparent, The blue of his veins showing As they reached for the box I would walk down those stairs Knowing that, tomorrow, I would find the box, still full, Crumpled in the trash can Away from her temptation The chocolate glaze melted in the hot sun Their little boy crouched nearby, Forgetting his hunger But for now, I would walk to the car And hear the growling, "Who was that?" To which she'd reply, "No one, dear". |