Fluke Infanticide (Poetry)

(or Almost Justified)

Right from the start she
was downright awkward
petulant, angry
and stubbornly-jawed
she glowered and spat

Not a sweet baby
borderline ugly
some throwback maybe
lumpy not cuddly
but worse than all that

She howled banshee-shrill
it ripped through the wall
continued until
they answered her call
and fed the foul brat

The neighbours complained
she woke half the block
bad parenting blamed
they reeled from the shock
denying it flat

One sleep-broken night
how loud the child bawled
a brief pillow fight
and nine-nine-nine called
kid smothered by cat