The Cellar

That twelve-stair descent, the unaired apprehension

for the black hole my bucolic cousins claimed

a portal to Mephistopheles’ dank lair,

would haunt me until my grandfather took matters in hand --

 

pulled me down, bucket in tow, to gather

a pot’s filling of the life sustaining potatoes

I hadn’t known could be stored somewhere other

than the produce row of your local IGA.

 

Emerging from the darkness, I’d carry the burden

of being six across the kitchen floor to my aunt

who’d pat my head before shushing the giggling brood

of no-good scallywags with a warning

 

her spoon had uses they’d soon rediscover if

they didn’t stop teasing the poor boy. And while they wouldn’t,

moving on, they’d need to find a new ruse.

I’d lost my fear of their kitchen’s dark underbelly.   

Ken e Bujold

Reviews

[Pete]

a place we've all been. thanks for taking me there with your well-chosen words and felt imagery.

[Ken Simm.]

This reminds me of my own childhood with my grandpa. But it is a scene I never did lose my fear off the secret cellar underneath the actual cellar in the pub where I was born.
This is so atmospherically written.

[Thomas W Case]

Tremendous work. I like it.

[Ken e Bujold]

thanks for the visit Thomas, and happy to see you enjoyed the trip to the cellar

ken

[W. Barrett Munn]

“carry the burden of being six across the floor”

This is poetry at its heights.

Winston

[Casey Truax]

The relishing of words makes this a joy to read. Great balance of Latinate and Germanic. "giggling brood of no-good scallywags" is a highlight.

[Chris Shaw]

Kids can be so damn cruel. I clearly saw that poor six year old kid descending into the hell hole of darkness. I guess after a few times, the fear wore off though. That wooden spoon had more than one use :) A trip down memory lane Ken. Not much fun being teased by older cousins. A little bit of karma needed. Some memories stick.

Chris

[Ken e Bujold]

they were like the older brothers I always wanted. to this day we are thick as thieves. And I get the last laugh as many of them appear, in not always so heroic costumes, throughout my poetry.

[Chris Shaw]

Ha, getting the last laugh must be satisfying:) Pay back time :)