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After the Formalities
by Anthony Anaxagorou
"Mother’s skin is the colour of vacations. Her hair bare-foot black. An island’s only runway. Reports of racist attacks. Father turns up the volume. Turns us down. Chews his pork. Stings the taste with beer. Tells mother to pass the pepper. There is never a please. He asks if she remembers the attack. The hospital. His nose. A Coca-Cola bottle picked from his skull. Yes. She mutters. The chase. Dirty bitch. How we’ll make you White. Aphrodite hard. Dirty dog trembling with the street light. Please God. Not tonight. The kids." |