Saturday night hot and dark

lonely widow sits outside

on front verandah no lights on

looking out across roof lines uneven

and front lawns parched

doors open wide

to let in the air.

 

Saturday night long and black

lonely widow weeps

drinking red wine turned sour to  stave off

thoughts of doubt and death

and memories of better days

that weren’t really better.

 

He only hurt her where it wouldn’t show

heavy doors were always closed

so no one ever heard

only a rope in a shed brought

her relief.

 

Saturday night humid and still

lonely widow listens

nothing disturbs the quiet

except for the occasional howling dog

till

from across the valley of melting bitumen

voices crack into the thick  night

punching gaps in the air like holes in a wall

baby cries

child screams, “Dad don’t”

woman yells “Get out”

“Gunna call the cops”

something drops, something stops

car door slams

rubber burns.

 

Saturday night soft rain begins to fall

lonely widow thankful

the neighbourhood is peaceful again

for a while

she takes another sip

and giving no notice

of attack

a mosquito bites,  piercing  her plumpness

fierce into her unsuspecting softness

and stings, sudden and sharp

and draws blood.

 

Stereo Story #757

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Widely published, Mary's creative work appears in literary journals and anthologies in Australia and internationally. Ten years living and working in the Australian outback provided rich inspiration for Mary’s debut novel The Hard Seed, published in 2018 by Ginninderra Press.