Mother’s Justice

1.

Well, it’s done now

the eggs have been cracked

whisked vigorously

& dumped in the pan

there’s nothing for it



2.

She used to come at us

brandishing a wooden spoon

maniacal grin stuck to her chops

screaming invective like a lorikeet

as we ran for our lives

bubbles of hot toffee laughter

stuck in our lungs



Round the house we’d go

yelling taunts over our shoulders

nah, nah, ni, nah nah

you can’t catch me.

        “Come ere, ya little shits

        I’m gonna flog yaz

        Beat ya to a pulp

        Smack tha livin daylights out of ya

        Smash ya to smithereens!”

Then she’d catch us

great gulps of giggles

bursting from tortured lungs

& wooden spoon splinters

would fly into broken shards

across our smart arses

then she’d tickle us until we wet our pants

then tickle some more

until we’d all forgotten

what we were fighting about

in the first place.



3.

        “We’re leavin!”

We are?

        “Yep.”

Where we goin?

        “Grandma & Pop’s.”

We taking the cat?

        “Bastard’ll probly euthanize it.”

What’s that?

        “Put her to sleep.”

We’re takin the cat!

        “Yeah,


we’re takin the cat!”