the semantics of a New Year

the semantics of a New Year

 

 

imminent domain

she fell prey

to the back of his hand

 

then a black and blue finger

found the trigger

and he exited her life

 

forever is a long time

a welcomed sentence

no longer embracing

 

the verb "slap"

or the verbal clichés

he will no longer summon

 

on her behalf

she will be happy with no parole

or his fisted cajole

 

her punishment cannot be capital

hers is a lower-case heart

that died a long time ago.

 

 

erin-cilberto

1/1/2021

Reviews

[Patricia Wedel]

I understand--- better to be protected.. than to be molested..
placed where no one can hurt you again. truly, Pat

[jacob erin-cilberto]

thank you so much, Pat,
j.

[Ayesha]

Domestic abuse, is without doubt wicked - the result of which culminates in either victim blaming: which is still characteristic of women living in abusive or violent environment to attribute the cause to themselves; or ends up in homicide as is the case in your poem.
Thoughtful write.

[jacob erin-cilberto]

thank you for your words, Ayesha...
j.

[.]

Cruelty against women should be condemned. Where there is no love, there isn't a relation at all. And the persons involved in it should end this... As mutual love and respect binds a relation forever

[jacob erin-cilberto]

yes, abuse either way can be avoided if the parties just move on...this kind of abuse is one of the worst kinds.
thank you for your words, Sima,
j.

[John the Baptist]

Domestic violence is one of its cruelest varieties. For some long imprisoned within it, death may indeed be "a welcomed sentence." As the last lines observes, her heart died long ago.

[jacob erin-cilberto]

yes, that is true, John....and so sad that it will get to that point eventually,
j.

[Chris]

We are so morally and vociferously indignant and yet we don't do a damn thing when we see it... go ahead get mad - but you KNOW I'm right. So change something ...go ahead.

[jacob erin-cilberto]

Yes you are right...absolutely right...we see it, and we try to ignore what we see.
j.

[barleygirl]

Your poem highlights the central dilemma in abusive situations -- end the abuse continually ruining one's life or avoid the repercussions of murder which could ruin one's life. I remember standing on the precipice of this decision hundreds of times as an abused child, fantasizing about killing my dad to make the abuse stop (((HUGS))) Fondly, Margie

[jacob erin-cilberto]

that makes me so angry...damn, Margie....I would have killed him for you....
that kind of abuse is worse than murder...
j.

[Chris Shaw]

Oh what a new year we have here. He used the back of his hand once too often, and she flipped. He got his just desserts, but she has got far worse. A living death. Don't you just wish people could walk away from each other before tragedy sets in? Tragic new year.

Chris

[jacob erin-cilberto]

Thank you for your kind words, Chris...
and understanding ....
j.