February 6, 2010

a hard man

by Karl Koweski

my daughter lies inconsolable

on the couch

sobbing herself to hyperventilation

convinced her world is at an end


my soon to be ex-wife glares

at me with a hatred

only thirteen years worth

of marital neglect

and sexual apathy

can nurture


and I revert back

to shadow form

a vaguely human-shaped blank

cast upon the walls

of this family


as the television

runs constant commercials

praising the latest

male enhancement formulas


successful men flanked

by their adoring women

claim the secret

to a blissful marriage

amounts to little more than

a little extra girth

a little extra length


there’s no pill in the world

that can negate

a history of

emotional abandonment


no topical solution

that cures

financial irresponsibility


when my wife tells me

I’m a hard man


I’m not what

the commercials preach toward

1 comments:

John Rocco said...

This is why you are one of the best, Karl. It hurt to read this it's so good and true and HARD! Now I sound like one of those fucking commericals....

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