poem of the day 03.06.14

hit something

my wife thinks that

i should hit something

join a gym, she says
and hit one of those heavy bags

you have too much old aggression in you
you’re like a wounded fifteen year-old boy sometimes

they did a number on me back then, i say

but i don’t want to join a gym
i want to find them and hit them

you can’t, she says
you’ll get beat up or arrested

yes, the law even protects assholes

my wife touches my hair
you’re almost forty and you’re still taking on
high school bullies

i should’ve gone to my reunion to kick ass, i say
strangled a few of those bastards
as thanks for all the old years

what would that have solved?

a lot

you’d still come back here talking
about being the fat kid

i am what i am

maybe you should talk to someone professional

like a boxing trainer?

or a therapist, she says
you need to talk to someone and get it out

i have you, i tell her
and writing
and a vivid imagination

maybe it’s not enough, she says

maybe i need to track some of those guys down
and go toe to toe

or join a gym and take it out on a heavy bag

we’ve come full circle, i tell her
it’ll never be good enough with a heavy bag
i need flesh on flesh on blood and saliva

you need to talk to someone, she says

get it out
hit something inanimate

just not a person? i say

really, honey,
i think in your case it’s  for the best.