A Million Pieces

A Million Pieces
fear
like the moment
before the fire explodes
the mad and desperate way
he looks at the boy
and the way the boy looks back
anticipating the worst
nowhere to hide
YOU STUPID LITTLE FUCKER
then the solid slap
of big knuckles
on cherubic face
crumbling the boy to the floor
GET UP
GET UP YOU SISSY
TAKE IT LIKE A MAN
YOU WORTHLESS PIECE OF SHIT
then the hard dirty sole
of a size ten
on the boy’s shoulder
pushing pushing
into the floor
until the boy almost disappears
220 pounds against 50
domination and control
of an eight year old child

then the final kick off
YOU FUCKIN’ LITTLE BABY
and the gorilla
satisfied for this moment
sulks away mumbling
for another drink of courage maybe
coward that he is

fear
the thread
between the broken
and the breakable
how far will the man go
to not be afraid of his life anymore
how much can the boy take
before he shatters
into a million pieces too

—DL Madsen