Matthew - La Guerre

Matthew, son of a bitch who

stripped you down on his couch

his wandering mouth, so quiet now

and all that booze won’t take the blame for you

and how all the way home you kept the words

tied to your tongue and never loosened them, not once

And on the day the tornado came

he went to chase it by the lake.

But you, your niece and nephew stayed

and almost died from a baby gate

that blocked your way.

And as the clouds began to break

the insulation fell like rain

but looked like snow, your hair a mane

tears on your face, the children safe.

You almost hoped he died that day

but back he came.