The Grotesquerie (Poetry)

Punch lets out a howl
expresses his rage
in a torrent of
bitter invective
abuses his son

who does nothing but
find ways to annoy
this puppet-father
so highly strung and
easy to provoke

Judy’s hands are full
with a younger child
so she keeps shtoom and
rarely intervenes
or gets inbetween

but when she does it’s
pandemonium
loud with ugly words
screams and banging doors
those in earshot flinch

at the anger poured
fearing worse will come
chaos rules their play
same old carry on
till the killing’s done