Tuesday, June 14, 2011

Momma's Prayer



You invertebrate
Posin’ in some fancy exoskeleton that ain’t yours
I’m no conchologist
So don’t think I won’t out you
Yes I know the words
You scumopod scavenger
My boy’s a marine biologist
I put him through school
You were doin’ time
A dime plus
Remember
What you hidin’
You shouldn’t come near the beach if you scared
I know who you are
You ain’t changed
That colorful little shell
Doesn’t hide your smell
Darkness has no spine
If you real
Squirm out
But don’t be playin’ MY boy for his shells
Quit usung what ain’t yours
Be gone
I can forgive
But I can’t turn my eye to your shell game
You leave on out with the next tide
And go back to the depths you crawled out of
I’ll be prayin’
I can do that
Maybe you can find a spine
And stand tall like a man should
But until that day
Leave before I forget I went to church Sunday
Amen


For Magpie Tales #69

18 comments:

barbara said...

Ah, fun. I do like that voice. "Darkness has no spine" Nice.

Jenne' R. Andrews said...

I love the exactitude in this poem-- reference to the exoskeleton-- when we establish the nature of a thing we can then extrapolate to it emotionally in the lyric, I think. Sorry if that's a fuzzy comment-- three a.m. in Colorado. xxxj

kelvin s.m. said...

 ..fascinating and interesting write… i like the note to the finale of this piece… very well played. (:

~Kelvin

gsb3 said...

Love the juxtaposition of anger/attitude with a hermit crab. So ironic. Nice job pulling that one out (no pun intended!) Well written, too.

Other Mary said...

Heheh - you tell him Momma! Amen!

Dina Spice said...

Great voice...love it. The first four lines brought a smile, as I could see you were just gonna lay it out (and I adore "conchologist").

- Dina

Ann Grenier said...

Like your play on words Henry. I see the stereotypical (scumbag?)drug dealer in fancy clothes peddling dime bags (if there really are such things)to the serious, courageous boy/young man trying to make a success of life the hard way. Wobderful imagination and facility with ideas/words.

Ann Grenier said...

Ooops, that should be "wonderful" ;)

brenda w said...

Exquisite voice in this one, Henry.

Tess Kincaid said...

Love the dialect. Love the attitude. Well done.

Steve Isaak said...

Solid, interesting.

Everyday Goddess said...

very exciting read! i admire your ingenuity.

Helen said...

Screenplays and movie scripts in your future? You are quite the talent, you know.

Lucy Westenra said...

An original voice doing original things.

hyperCRYPTICal said...

Love the attitude of this poem.

Anna :o]

Linda Bob Grifins Korbetis Hall said...

church time,
time to forget the shell ..

awesome magpie, love your insights.

Anonymous said...

This is awesome, brought a smile to my face. I agree the attitude is fabulous

Emily Young said...

"You leave on out with the next tide
And go back to the depths you crawled out of
I’ll be prayin’
I can do that"

I love that!

I'm Just a Man (Recording Experiment ... I can't sing)

I am in the mood to change my tree to a cubic version.