Green Canny Viper Snake

WARNING!! If you are in a good mood DO NOT READ THIS POEM!

We were just my father's slaves
my brother and I
grunts grunting
trying to carry his name
mowing the lawn of legacy
weeding worries that grew deep in our hearts
only to grow again,
and again,
edging paths of fear
that circled a house that was never a home
only to move again,
and again,
never planting the seeds of family
rotting roots of respect dying in deeds
done by a man who should never have children
kicking his kids who are only his dirt
only to vomit again,
and again.

We found a tin can in the bushes.
In it was a snake slithering in green.
Through the sweat of our sorrow
and the toil of our tears
we found a laugh
when my father called it
a Green Canny Viper Snake.

2021

Author's Note

My plan today was to not write or post. Just read some of you and review. Take a little break. Ever since Jacob posted a poem about rhyming yesterday I've been obsessing about writing without rhyme. Its hard! This is my fourth one. I swear the only reason my father had children was to do yard work. He would buy a house, put us to work fixing it up then move us to another one oblivious of the impact of that on his children. He would pay me though. When I was 13 he would give me 2 cartons of cigarettes for doing my yard work. I am dying today because of that. Unfortunately my father is one of the men I was writing about in the 3rd stanza of 'I Am A Man'. I started to write a funny story about finding the snake and doing yard work. Then this poured out of me. This is the most deeply personal poem I've written. I can't talk about it.

Note to Jacob: Is this the true essence of poetry? One poet writes. Two talk about it then the other is inspired. Poetry begets poetry. I haven't been able to stop thinking about your poem 'too near rhyme' and the comments around it. Next thing you know Billigami is climbing a literary ladder that falls on his heart. I don't know weather to curse you or thank you. I needed to write this, so I thank you.

Reviews

[lightsong]

A year ago (and sorry that I wasn't there) but believe me, your poetic style has been shining since then and before.

yes, I know... that ending, yes... when the amount of pain is unbearable, can't be expressed, in these times of huge pain, something silly would make us laugh... this explain why many humorous persons are actually sad, but yet in my belief, specially that You were that young, when You could capture a joke in the middle of your suffering, it doesn't only mean that You are strong, but that You are aware that the way your father is living and treating You is wrong, You were aware and also positive, positive that life shouldn't be that way and You will live life as it should be one day, as a young boy whose awareness is still on the progress of expressing, he finds is all in a simple joke in the center of his pain. and B.T.W, 2 cartons of cigarettes of doing the work?! what a great father he was. I admire You for not letting your childhood ruin your whole life, it is difficult, almost impossible to people to get over childhood trauma. I say if You can't get over the pain, that's ok, live with it BUT be aware of it and how it reflects on your life.

[William Michael Reeves]

The surprising thing about this poem is I even wrote it. Trauma is a relative thing. Worse than some, nothing compared to others. We are shaped by experience which is malleable, and allows us to create our own sculpture with it.

I need to clean up my poetry. I guess I'll start here. Thanks for inadvertently getting that going, and the review.

[Cherrie Palmer]

Pains created in our childhoods are so different to turn loose of. We almost have to reason with our child self and I think writing becomes a powerful tool to heal.

Children throughout time have been doing the chores. A family tradition that dates back to Adam and Eve. Not always dictated from a heart of love. Which can cause a lifetime of self-doubt.
I am so proud to see a writer baring a piece of his soul. It doesn't always heal the past but it does help to be heard. Even if the writer is the only one that reads it.

[William Michael Reeves]

This wasn't so much healing for me as surprising. I sat to write a dark comedy about yard work and finding a snake. As I thought about the fact that this was the only laugh I can remember as a child the tragedy of that, and why, took over. An hour later I felt like I had had an out of body(mind) experience.I'm way past my childhood and had no intention of ever writing about it. To a degree I was talking about my father in the 3rd stanza of 'I Am A Man'. Maybe that triggered this. Thanks for recognizing this

[Cherrie Palmer]

Sometimes our writing even sneaks up on ourselves.

[K writes]

Wow, this is quite a powerful write, sad as well...
My step father was mean to me, but never gave me cigarettes, but from his second hand smoke I have breathing and lung issues. you express yourself well.

[William Michael Reeves]

Thanks K. There'll be a poem coming on the subject of smoking. I hope your experience wasn't too awful and sharing has helped you. I almost didn't post this....but it's a good poem and posting it got me past it. Believe me! I don't want to be bummin' anyone out. That's what the warning is about.

[jacob erin-cilberto]

this is intensely sad, but so powerful...tough childhood...

and heck, Bill....go ahead and curse me if you need to....I can take it. :))))

[William Michael Reeves]

!@#$#$@&**+]["/?@@@@@@@@@

[William Michael Reeves]

I tried so hard not to rhyme but about my tenth reading I started hearing a couple hiding in the folds. But as I wrote rhymes were coming fast and furious, but I tossed them aside as though they were poetic acid!

[John the Baptist]

Reading poems like this one make me glad I never became a father. A child's mind is so easy to damage.

[William Michael Reeves]

The cycle stopped here for me. No kids. We have no control over what happens to us as children then live with it for life. I've done my best to be the guy in the 5th stanza of 'I Am A Man'.