Slamming Open the Door Quotes

“Try to be thoughtful,
don't make the poor man say it;
see how human he is,
he has children of his own,
it is your job to ask:
Is she dead?

And he will nod and say yes
And now he can never not nod.
And now he can never say no.
And now he can never not say
yes.”
― Kathleen Sheeder Bonanno, Slamming Open the Door

“And when I stand
in the receiving line
like Jackie Kennedy
without the pillbox hat,
if Jackie were fat
and had taken enough Klonopin
to still an ox,


and you whisper
I think of you
every day,
don't finish with
because I've been going
to Weight Watchers
on Tuesdays and wonder
if you want to go too.”
― Kathleen Sheeder Bonanno, Slamming Open the Door

“...always-
the sharp,
plaintive edge
on the rim
of the spoon
of my giving.
(lines 8-13 of the poem 'Confessions')”
― Kathleen Sheeder Bonanno, Slamming Open the Door