Look at this picture.
What do you see?
You don’t need to be an expert to say-
This is a family.
This family is out on a picnic.
Daddy, Mommy and Lil’un.
This is Daddy.
Daddy looks impatient.
All he wants is to get back home
Slump on the couch and watch boxing on TV
The punches flying about like butterflies,
it’s Ali after all.
Daddy lets out a belch.
In the dark, the light from the telly flickers.
Daddy cheers.
Goes to the fridge for another beer.
This is Mommy.
Mommy likes to clean.
Right now Mommy is worried.
She sees ants crawling into the picnic hamper.
Mommy is clean. Mommy scrubs.
Mommy dusts. And scrubs some more.
Mommy does not like to be touched.
Even by lil’un.
This is lil’un.
Lil’un ain’t got no clue what to do.
Lil’un wets her bed.
Waits for the brush.
Lil’un breaks a plate.
Cayenne pepper it is.
Lil’un washes her eyes at the sink,
Lil’un blinks.
Lil’un can see again.
Sometimes it’s a heated spoon
Lil’un waits for the sear.
Mommy puts Burnol
to make it all go away.
Mommy cries.
Lil’un looks at her with her big eyes.
Mommy cries some more.
Daddy looks angry.
Daddy breaks a bottle.
Mommy screams.
Lil’un hides under the covers.
Mommy comes in to put out the light.
Lil’un tries to give Mommy a hug.
Mommy pushes her away.
Mommy says- You should not show love.
You should only feel it in your heart.
Lil’un remembers how good it feels to hold a puppy.
Lil’un wants a lil pup.
Mommy won’t even hear of it.
Lil’un closes her eyes
wakes up in the middle of the night
sobbing.
Look at this picture.
Don’t you see?
You don’t need to be an expert to declare-
This is a family.
A grim tale of family life, sparsely told and packed with meaning, in the silence.
Thank you for stopping by and letting me know what you think 😀
totally different but who’s lil un
Any child … a little one who is caught in the crossfire. 😢
that’s what happens these days .. not many would allow a pup
Lol yes😀
would you let kids pet animals?
Absolutely 😀
what’s p14 behind your name ?
An avatar of my being…almost like an isotope of myself 😉
was about to ask the same.. is it something like an isotope or enriched little plutonium😂
Yup😄😅😂
Sad but way too common 😔😔😔
😢
Another feather on cap ! the emotions , expectations, bonding , transitory curves of ups n downs of family …the love & affection coming back stronger than before every time ….so lucidly reflected as common as to many of us ! the antic photo ..a good pick ! Enjoyed reading it sailaja . Good times .
Thank you Kamakhya! Glad you liked this piece that evoked images in your mind. Feel wonderful that you could relate to the essence. 😀😀😀
I can relate to the small, sad family.
Little pockets of unhappiness…😢 unnoticed by the world…or maybe even ignored.
😦
😭 awwww Paula cheer up
I’ll write something lighter this evening 😙
Wow, so true and the way you have portrayed it is amazing! 🙂 Loved it
Thank you 😙😀
Sounds like a sad family
Very sad😢
Beautiful, heartbreaking.
Yes Gilda…it is heart breaking.💔😢
Thank you for reading.❤
But beautifully written as always ☺️💕❤️.
💓💓💓💓💓💓💓💓😙😙😙😙😙😙😙😙❤❤❤❤❤❤❤love you Gilda!
❤️💜💚💙💛
An expert at describing family life? 🙂
Lol Yudith 😉😀
Intresting write !😊
Thank you for reminding me of how fortunate I am to have such a peace loving family! Great writing!!
Yup thank God for all His blessings! 😇😁thank you for reading 😀
😊
This one is an example of how great stories can be narrated in the simplest of words.
Thank you for reading my work and appreciating it! Have a great day ahead. 😀
A moment of reflection, with emotions, so vast a story,a reality, a life, all wrapped and packed and parceled through your poem.👌
Thanks for stopping by and sharing what you think. Have a wonderful day! 😀
It is very beautiful ma’am.
Thank you for reading my work and appreciating it ❤
Excellent! Heartbreaking, it is true, and brilliant in it’s powerful way to convey emotions making you think about a sad cisrcunstance that might be more frequent in our society than we realize. To get into our guts denouncing something that is wrong is NOT ONLY an art, but a great honor and a huge mérito that should be awarded with the red badge of courage
Thank you for reading my work and appreciating it with such wonderful and powerful words. 😀it feels great!
The way of the world…..one has it all but the other doesn’t……A piece to be read….Great Shaila…….
Awwww thank you Bindu…love you😙😙😙😙😙
Sad but beautiful at the same time! 🙂
Thank you ❤true… it is sad😢
Exceptional, yet simple. So well done!
Thank you Sascha 😙I am trying to consciously write differently 😀Thanks for your generous words of appreciation ❤
You definitely have a knack for this, but I wouldn’t give up on your other style as I very much like that as well. I think voice depends on mood and what you’re trying to convey. You’ve two different routes for expression. Kudos!
Thanks Sascha, I needed to know this. 😙