Billy Talks About the Kids
It ain’t such a bad life
beer
on Friday night
westerns
on TV Saturday
I don’t own nothing
and nothing owns me
When the farm went under
Dad warned me
early enough
to get out
to find something
other than the land
to live off of
A man can learn to lose himself
in the lie that sleeping alone
gives him more room
to turn
and toss
A man can call anywhere a home
even the school
he cleans
for less than laughable wages
Thirty five and single
but still with kids to clean up after
Putting on weight
but still feeling like I drifted off
the edge of the world
years ago
But they scream
the kids
even when I’ve been home for hours
I can hear them
playing and arguing
fighting
to pull up their skin
and be as tall as men
C.L. Bledsoe
Posted over on Lilylit Review
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