Role Call

by Margery Hannah

I am only a person
tall and plain, tongue maimed long
ago when cow bells were ringing.

I was in love with those big
eye chocolates
reminding me of me.

But a million flies filtered
filth just to land on me. They
knew the tin bell would ring
long before it did.

I kept loving that cow
even though the cow
was too foolish to love me.

Look at me, dumb cow
I screamed in my mind
and finally through sliced lips
still dripping with milk.

The cow didn’t hear me
so I milked her
She ate my grass
I milked her
She stole my glory
I milked her.

She kept drawing flies from
every side of the slum sea.

I milked her until she learned
I am just a person
tall and plain, but honest.

Vertical, her skin beneath
my dirt feet.

Author

Margery Hannah

“A writer writes, aways.” (Larry Donner, Throw Mama from the Train) The musings of Margery Hannah, a multi-genre writer, on an array of subject matter through a literary lens. Every raindrop has a story.

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