untitled – an exorcism

    1

the one thing

 my family did good

 was cook

esp. dad

 it was his job

 ravioli

 lentil soup

 osso buco

bollito misto.

     2

sunday dinners

the arguments

the silent chewing

in between

dad said

it was easier

to clothe nonna

than to feed her

the gulf stream

i was fat

mama was ignored.

     3

sometimes

nonna would get mad

enough was enough

ma basta*

the gulf stream

one or two times

but too much

un insulto

basta

dad would continue

next sunday.

      4

he said

you’re fat

he said

  have some ravioli

you’re fat  

  have some gnocchi

you’re fat

  have some cheese

you’re fat

  have some torta

fat

panettone

fat

cioccolate

fat

fat

fat

fat.

 

    5

when i was twenty-eight

i exercised like

no tommorrow

two hrs. on the bike

  three times a wk.

three hrs. of wts. and nautilus

  three times a wk.

two hrs. of martial arts

  three times a wk.

i was

one hundred thirty-three lbs.

no fat

pure muscle

washboard abs.

dad never said

how good

i looked.

     6

we’re eating dinner

he cooked for me

ravioli

roast baby lamb

with potatoes

i take another potato

he says

ma no, basta

you’re too fat

i lose it

i throw my plate

take the serrated knife

grab his hair

pull his head back

cut

cross the jugular

the cartoid

ear to ear

as he lays bleeding

i smash the four sets of dishes

hammer the copper pots

pile it all on top of him

i set the apt. on fire

i stand outside the door

i sing a greek chorus.

 

@1996 _Vittoria repetto

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