Climbing Frame
This is a repost. Please do not vote.
Climbing Frame
I was scared to jump that day
helium brained
with crawling skin
and the lawn a mile away
and past success
and his chanting
jump
jump
jump
just reduced my space
to legs and glares.
Threats next
he’d unhook the long
red swinging pole
from the centre of the blue
domed frame
and poke my belly.
The euphemism
in his sneering little song
burned my face
poke-a-belly
poke-a-belly
poke-a-belly.
Unwieldy rod
see-sawed as he aimed.
Plan B found me kicking out
weakly
while I clung to the bars
for balance
but I was outnumbered.
Hyaenic laughing
and scattering followed
while I rearranged my garment.
The humiliation stung
the abandonment cut
but the real stake
through the heart
spending the day with her
alone
bored
and crushed
since she screamed at me
for crying
past her one minute limit.
No soothing word
No hug
No consequence.
Next summer
he hung from the centre of that frame
his game
who can last the longest
he began
as always.
Soon he was hanging by one arm
franticly asking for her.
I wondered at his fuss
to drop a few feet
while he pleaded
fast and shrill and panicked.
Get her yourself
calm
cold words
I turned and walked slowly
toward the house
unconcerned by pleas to hurry.
Eventually
his scream sent her running
he broke his arm.
No revenge
no prediction of pain.
no consequence.
I simply thought
he can’t make me.