THE BRASS RAIL

a living lesson never forgotten

THE BRASS FOOT RAIL

i remember it just like yesterday,
grandma’s sad smile
as she pulled into the parking lot
by the bar,
“be just a minute kids, i got to get your grandad... “
and quick she's out of the old oldsmobile,
the one with bondo spots
we called “pretty polly”,
she disappears into the shabby building
with the budwiser and pabst blue ribbon
neon in the darkened windows,
she always returned
and it was never a very long minute
like the ones when we waited outside the grocery
or the bank or the post office,
and always she came back alone
and sad and sighing
“we’ll be alone again tonight, kids,
grandad’s foot is stuck to the bar”
we are just kids and
we take her at her word,
until the day i creep out behind her
to slip silent into the dark smoke filled room
and see him standing one foot on the brass rail
below the bar
and hear him snarl at her
“git on home ol’ woman
i ain’t drunk enough yit
to stand lookin at you
an them bastid grankids yuh got stuck with”
and his foot flies off the brass
and knocks her down
and he just turns his back as she struggles up
tears sliding down her face
and she sees me and takes my hand
“come on honey, he doesn’t mean it
his foot is just stuck again”
but i knew it wasn’t stuck,
i saw it hit her,
i saw the bruise
and i remembered them all
and i knew what a b*****d really was
i was only 9,
but
i knew.."

Author's Note

sometimes we never forget

Reviews

[Sami Khalil]

No place or respect for b******s or bastardly acts. Another eye opening poem. Bravo in all.

[jeannemarie coulter]

thank you for reading my offering...

[Sami Khalil]

Always a good offering. You are welcome.

[John Reese]

My hairs are standing on end. So beautiful and so sad. I love the pure narration from the eyes of a child.

[jeannemarie coulter]

thank you very much

[Perkele.7885]

I love the imagery of a shiny brass rail but. I cannot stand b******s any sex, any color, age or any sexual persuasion.
They are all gutless to me.
A great story depiction of events as you remember them.

[jeannemarie coulter]

thank you for the kind read

[John Reese]

Regarding I cannot stand B******s; you just killed Kenny.

[jeannemarie coulter]

i always cried for kenny