The Hawk by Larry Rogers

My name is Hawkins Ramsey.
I am 10 years old.
My parents fight each other
almost every night.
It’s my job to wipe up
their blood. I do this
with a house mop.
There are times when
I could use something
more industrial.

There are days
when I just want
to disappear,
not like a ship
that sinks in
the deepest part
of the ocean
and is lost forever,
but like a sock
that goes missing
in the laundry
and might show up
again someday.

In other words,
if and when
I disappear,
I would like
to reserve
the right to
reappear if
my parents ever
get their shit
together.

Larry Rogers is a poet-singer/songwriter. Golden Antelope Press recently published a full-length collection of his poems titled “Live Free or Croak.” It’s available on Amazon and Barnes and Noble.