Posts: 685
From:
Registered: Nov 2002

posted May 23, 2003 11:38 PM         

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Piece Of Work
R. Dafremen

Remember Ma?
The binoculars you gave me
To keep watch outside
While you lifted from the store?
What a piece of work you were and are
Remember ma?
Waving to you through the window
Of the Greyhound with a stranger
Cuz you had to slam some more
And go to prison I suppose
So with my sister and my brother
I spent three days on the road
With your pathetic mom
What a piece of work she was
Remember ma?
Bet you didn't know
Bet you never heard
Bet they never told you
About the sacrifices they made
To care for us, provide for us
What a piece of work it was
Can you remember Ma?
Me only four with a big bedroom
Out in the front yard
And our very own bunkbed
To keep off the rain
A brother for a blanket
Sister for a pillow
What a piece of work it was
Try to remember Ma.
Early November Ma
When they let the dog inside
Then mid-November Ma
And we would go in too
Watch the Seagram's bottles fly
Did you know that they flew?
Like teeth they flew Ma
Just like teeth and screaming fists
Such an impressive piece of work it was
Starting in November Ma
Wish you could remember Ma
How little eskimos kept warm in winter
Letting impotent alcoholics
Rub them the wrong way
Did you know they rubbed Ma?
Yea, they screw little girls too
Those big silly eskimos do
I should know, you know
"Uncle" Charlie told me so
And he was always right
Cuz it hurt when he wasn't
Such a piece of work he was
Remember Ma?
Eating was wrong, he told me that too
Guess cuz he had nothing better to do
Donut Fridays had their own way of filling
Uncle Charlie came back
With a sack on his back
And the tasties came out
What a PIECE of WORK it was
Shoulda been there Ma
Only on Fridays cuz they're for eating
Olives are for Martinis
Saturdays through Thursdays for being hungry
And Mondays through Sundays for being beaten
But I felt real lucky Ma
Cuz Uncle Charlie told me so
With a switch and a fist
He had a way with words
With a rope around our necks
He sure could make a point
Yea, what a piece of work he was
Wish you could remember Ma
How your mother sat and laughed
I think that Betty was her name
Wouldn't know, she never talked to me
Just Charlie and the bottle
And occasionally the dog
Wouldn't know just what her name was
Just remember how good she was
With lampcords and battery acid
Did you know she was so skilled?
What a piece of work she really was
Remember ma? Remember?
We deserved it, so I guess it's good
Cuz Charlie told us so
He told us that we got the worms
From eating too much food
He told us that we never did
A damned thing any good
Not like his foot could do
No ma'am, it got us good
What a piece of work it was
Shoulda seen it ma
Big enough to knock three teeth out
With a single blow
And I should know
Tooth fairy brought me an infection
And they took me to heaven I think
Did you know they have doctors there?
In heaven that is, yes they do
I saw them and the angels were so lovely
They brought me lots of food
What a PIECE of work it was
Shoulda been there Ma!
Only got to stay there for a few
Kept on falling asleep when I could
To die so I could stay
But Charlie always woke me up
Said I was lazy anyway
He was right you know
He was always right
The welts told us he was
And the tricks he could do
With a belt and a broom
Made my sister's eye blue
And my brother's lip too
What a piece of work it was
And we owe it all to you
Shoulda been there ma
You coulda sang Happy Birthday with me
While Uncle Charlie ate my cake
Let us lick frosting off the plates
And it was chocolate, my favorite
The best I ever had
The best I ever could
Or Uncle Charlie would get mad
And then it would have been my fault
And that would not have done at all
Uncle Charlie told me so
And he was right, always so right
To curl his fist up in a ball
And teach me something
(That I never ever learned)
Til I was bleeding from my nose
And I guess that taught me too
Taught me that Charlie was always right
Or I'd regret it I suppose
What a piece of work the whole thing was
Like I said, we owe it all to you
Remember Ma, remember?
Well thank you, I remember too.

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Posts: 685
From:
Registered: Nov 2002

posted July 20, 2003 01:03 PM         

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I read this the other night.

Three people in the front row had tears in their eyes. It was a strangely welcome sight.

Daf

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Posts: 515
From: New England
Registered: Mar 2003

posted April 13, 2004 08:41 PM         

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Just wanted to let you know that I read this daf. I'm speechless, but I read it.

much love
tink

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Posts: 189
From: Taipei, Taiwan
Registered: Jan 2004

posted April 17, 2004 05:24 AM         

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Poignant...this impresses me.

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Dana

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Posts: 115
From: garland texas usa
Registered: Mar 2004

posted May 07, 2004 10:49 AM         

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Oh Daf,
Beauty again through pain. My past was abusive and this made me cry. thank you

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~Renee
~indecision may or may not be my problem

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Posts: 4409
From: www.Heaven.Home
Registered: Mar 2002

posted May 07, 2004 07:08 PM         

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There are no words Daf

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If having a soul means being able to feel love and loyalty and gratitude, then animals are better off than a lot of humans. ~James Herriot

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