Skye Wilson
Demolishing a Kitchen Wall with My Dad and His New Girlfriend
As if it holds something contagious,
the room is sealed with tape, and Dad gives me
a mask. We are unsure where to start, but Karen
has a brush poised to sweep every moment
of mess away. Dad balances on a stool, braces
the room is sealed with tape, and Dad gives me
a mask. We are unsure where to start, but Karen
has a brush poised to sweep every moment
of mess away. Dad balances on a stool, braces
the pneumatic hammer, shoves it hard
into the clean whiteness. In my hands it stutters
at first, but soon hits smoothly. He compliments
my de-plastering, the ease with which I crack
and drop the façade to reveal the roughness underneath.
Karen sweeps even as the dust begins to drop.
into the clean whiteness. In my hands it stutters
at first, but soon hits smoothly. He compliments
my de-plastering, the ease with which I crack
and drop the façade to reveal the roughness underneath.
Karen sweeps even as the dust begins to drop.
The toughest bricks are the top two rows. Some split
in half, showing mould-black bellies. Others shatter
altogether; some refuse to separate. Karen and I port
them to the window, drop them out, and she stacks
them neatly into piles while dad and I continue battling.
in half, showing mould-black bellies. Others shatter
altogether; some refuse to separate. Karen and I port
them to the window, drop them out, and she stacks
them neatly into piles while dad and I continue battling.
The light switch cord swings loosely above
the wall, now waist high. Together, we pull down
the doorframe, tear it into separate planks
of wood and crooked nails. The last brick is stubborn,
so I drive the hammer harder, and water starts to quietly
spurt from the heating pipe we never knew was there.
the wall, now waist high. Together, we pull down
the doorframe, tear it into separate planks
of wood and crooked nails. The last brick is stubborn,
so I drive the hammer harder, and water starts to quietly
spurt from the heating pipe we never knew was there.
Cooking
I will reel you in
with snacks and silence,
keep you comfortable until
you let me scrape your skin off
scale by scale, slowly lower what’s left
of you to my kitchen counter, helpless. I will
prise open your ribcage’s osseous matter, pull out
all of your unpleasantness, slice out your spine, remove
any gore that remains, fill you instead with lemongrass and love.
with snacks and silence,
keep you comfortable until
you let me scrape your skin off
scale by scale, slowly lower what’s left
of you to my kitchen counter, helpless. I will
prise open your ribcage’s osseous matter, pull out
all of your unpleasantness, slice out your spine, remove
any gore that remains, fill you instead with lemongrass and love.
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