What I Learned by R. Erica Doyle

What I learned

by R. Erica Doyle

published in The Rumpus, April 22, 2022

Why was there evenAn axe in the housethere were thorns to pruneIn the garden butWhy was the axeIn the house?

Was it in the closetWith the rifle?I don’t know –

But when he chased you With the axeAnd you ran screaming to the back – Towards the library – Towards the basement – Going to hidePerhapsGoing out the back door–

She stopped him.Stood between for the first timeSaid

NO!

And for a thousand ye...