CREATE A TRUTH 1957.

A GIRL AND HER BULLYING AND ABUSIVE FATHER AND HER CREATED TRUTH IN LONDON IN 1957

Where've you been?
Enid knew her father
would ask her that
once she got in

-I can't lie to him
she told Benny
after they came out
of the cinema
then create
another truth
he said
another truth?
she asked
sure another place
you can go to
be your truth
what other place?
she asked
the church
on the New Kent Road
say you've been to church-

I've been to church
Enid said

her father choked
on his cup of tea
church?
you're lying
he said

no went in the church
she said

-and she had
Benny took her there
and she entered-

what church?
he asked

St Mark's
at the top
of Meadow Row

her father
eyed her darkly
what you do
in church?

I prayed and looked
at the coloured
glass windows

-she had prayed
and gazed
at  the windows
of colour-

what do you have
to pray for?
her father asked

her mother eyed
her husband
be rid of you
I would think
she said

her husband
eyed her
you want another
black eye to match
that one?  

who'd you go
in church with?

-Benny let her go in
alone just in case
Benny said-

on my own
she said
confident
in her truth

he looked away
from her

anyway
he said to his wife
I said to this guy
you want the darn car
or what?

and her father
lost interest in Enid
and she walked past him
and into her bedroom
and shut the door

Benny'd been right
about truth
create one
and stick to it
like glue
it was right
she mused
hearing her
father's voice
from the other room
it was true.

Author's Note

ART BY A K WOOD