[Cagdu] Shawn Among the Garbage.doc

[Ken Volonte]

Shawn Among the Garbage
Ken Volonte

She hated her parents, 
For saying that Dave was a bum and being right. 
She hated her husband,
Because he was responsible for getting her like this.
She hated her doctors,
All of them;
Even that woman. 
She was nothing.
She was fresh meat: 
A shoulder,
A flank,
Rank and awash in her own piss and bowels.
She hated the pain,
And the blood,
And the lights,
And the humiliation;
And when the time came,
She hated the baby,
And then she hated herself.

Shawn plays war among the garbage,
Cause there’s nowhere else to go;
And who will love or even notice Shawn?
Will the Siamese Cat love him?
Will the garbage love him?
Will the Virgin Mary, who loves all children love him?
He is very small,
But his voice cuts a keen and strident figure,
Like Mommy. 

We speak on my way out
“You again right”? 
“Me again”.
“You going to the store”?
“yeah same as always”. 
Shawn clears the path of enemy soldiers helpfully.
On my way back,
“You again right”? 
He takes time to pet my guide dog.
Right now Nash is his only friend.  
Shawn saves a place in his sacred heart,
Nash licks away his tears with a thorough tongue, 
And perhaps our friendship  keeps him warm at night.
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