DON'T HIT ME ANYMORE

Entry for "Poetry's Prism " 

DON’T HIT ME ANYMORE

With hammer and chisel, working on a trailer
that he pulled behind his car,
the man stopped and listened to a noise
coming from not so very far.
He had heard a thump
following the sound of breaking glass
then the loud voice of a man, say
“I told you to cut the grass.”
Never mind the broken dishes,
is what the man said.
Your mother will clean that up,
you go straight to bed.
May I please eat something?
A young boy made this plea,
came the sound of tearing cloth
with words, “you will mind me.”
Now it could all be seen
through the old porch door,
It was just a little boy
who cried, “please don’t hit me anymore”
The man had paused to listen,
when next he heard the slap.
A storm was raging in his mind
like a mighty thunderclap.
His right hand still held the hammer,
as he vaulted his back fence
determined to stop this lunatic,
who wasn’t making any sense.
He used the hammer,
to pound upon the door
as again he heard the words,
please don’t hit me anymore.
Finally an answer,
the man stayed behind his wife
Staring at the hammer,
maybe fearing for his life.
Speaking very softly,
before the man could say a word;
but who was surely listening,
and this is what he heard.
If you have the urge to beat someone,
your sure you are that wild
then step outside and try me,
but do not beat the child.
Then he threw the hammer,
into his own backyard.
When he turned his head,
you could see his face was scarred.
The child beater ran away,
didn’t want to test his luck,
Never did come back again,
was killed by a garbage truck.




Monty