he needs a witness, this poem

This was published in volume three of the Equinox: an excusion of stories, poems, & essays (2006). -- KJ

tantrum

the child

loud

feet stomp

linoleum floor

we say

use your

quiet voice

the landlord wakes

too early.

guarding his

private property,

he kicks us out

using the courts

we have tried so hard

to avoid

in keeping this child

out of the system

which will

punish him

for not being

an e.e. cummings poem

but a supreme court

sacrifice

to the wolves

testimony

that people do fall

through

the

cracks

because

it is

his body

broken.

(cc) Karen G. Johnston