Catherine Chandler's Poetry Blog

Friday, December 13, 2024

Madison Street: Grouper

 

 Another sad episode of bullying, but this one ended tragically.

 

Grouper fish

 

 

 

 

 

 

Grouper

 

In a stately home next-door to Mr. Cooper,

the Donovans hole up behind white oaks,

a high box hedge and windows louver-shuttered.

 

They had a son the bully boys tagged “Grouper”,

the butt of snickering and nasty jokes,

who cracked his knuckles, bit his lips, and stuttered.

 

An altar boy and would-be Eagle Scout,

he had a thing for knots. He seemed devout.

 

Though at the time too young to comprehend

the incidental whisper of a word

by busybody neighbors, in the end

we disentangled what we’d overheard.

 

His note thanked Kitty—Grouper’s only friend—

to whom he left his taws and Mynah bird.

 

 


 

 

 

 

 


 

 

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