Less of the Fist

.. I toyed with the idea of calling this latest scribble 'Less of the Fist & More of the Feather' .........

Less of the Fist

 

Every now and then

There were times

When the fist

Felt more like a feather

When the lure of it

Compelled with

The force  

And the pull of both

Still and stormy

Water …

Cooler and smoother

Than silk

But rougher than leather

Oh yes …

He could be an angel, or

He could be a devil

While

In the meantime

She was just

Some peasant farmers

Daughter ..

Caught in a moment

And saved

For forever in an old

Sepia photograph

From a long ago yesterday …

 

 

 

Author's Note

I remember so well my Father once knocking the hell out of some much bigger guy and essentially a bully, for beating up his wife .. the daughter is still one of my friends to this very day ...

Reviews

[emmajoy]

From what I regularly hear, it is still happening. The pandemic has made it even more prevalent,
and that can mean both physical and mental abuse, often both - no choice offered. If either or both is written into someone' s DNA tis there - simmering just needs a touch of the trigger. Sad to know that ephemera throw up such examples.. remind what might have been forgotten but deepens in the uncovering. Memories are cruel, evil. Past, Present and more than likely the Future will confirm it it.. tragically. A sad, sad poem, Neville.. but ..

[Neville]

no buts about it my friend .. it is a very sad fact indeed that there is an awful lot of it about .. I therefore thank you awfully for checking in ..

Neville

[emmajoy]

Could hear a six or seven year old screaming the other night. More than sad.

[Neville]

it should never happen, but it does .. I wish I could send my Dad round.

[L.E.Osborne]

Your poems make me yearn for a time I haven't even experienced! How do you do it? x

[Neville]

you are extraordinarily kind and I truly thank you for such a heart-warming comment :)

[Poetic Beauty]

Years ago in my grandfathers and even my fathers generation women didn’t have much of a say and divorce was not happening.

It took another man or family members standing up for them.

[Neville]

.. yes, that was often the case .. my father was such a man on more than one occasion .. though not a big man .. he was a giant in the eyes of many an underdog and the oft beaten ....

Neville

[Poetic Beauty]

Never underestimate the underdog they can rise with spirit and whoop your a*s unexpectedly lol

[Chris Shaw]

Fist and feather, still and stormy. what a contrast. Both physical and mental torment. Never knowing what was on the menu. Will it be fist tonight or maybe feather. I have pondered on this often. It would be easier to leave someone who used you as a punchbag all the time, but when you've got someone who can be an angel one minute and a devil the next, I guess you would be living with permanent mental torture. But change won't come when it gets that far. How sad that a photograph brought this all back to the fore. A woman in this case, but men are also beaten up by violent women. Still today a huge problem and especially during a pandemic.

Well done your Dad, that was a result. A poem reflecting on old times, but very topical in today's climate and expressed so well with superb use of contrast.

Chris

[Neville]

yes indeed, male victims of physical abuse from violent women is on the increase .. its just not reported so often as it occurs .. thanks Chris

Neville

[barleygirl]

Since my father was handy with his fists as well, your well-stated message harkens to the way most reject the idea of him hands-down becuz of his abusive tendencies. But there were also many good aspects to the man, things which became an integral part of my own personality, parts of myself that I love, just like a chip off the old block. I couldn't hate the man for his fist becuz then I would be hating myself for being a lot like him. Your poem is the antidote to the "cancel culture" we hear so much about these days (((B&W))) Fondly, Margie

[Neville]

thank you for the visit, share and comments Margie .. (BLOWs) fondly ... N :)