Poetry: Six by Dianne Moritz

 SIX

Teasing the dog

Back behind

The chicken coop

To distract myself

From loneliness,

Stench of the farm,

Uncle’s mongrel seized

My thin wrist, bit down hard.

My cries were smothered

In boozy serves-you-rights,

While blood spilled,

Staining my summer smock.

Aunie brought me milk

Straight from a cow.

I ran to the rusty sink,

Spit it out as Mother’s hand

Shot out, slapped me hard.

I raced outside.

The slam of that screen door

Still echoes….

Dianne Moritz is a former teacher in LA, CA and writes poetry, essays, memoir, and picture books for children. Her book, 1, 2, 3 BY THE SEA, from Kane Miller, is a bestseller. It was listed to Bank Street's "best books, 2014" and continues to sell after ten years.