silenced

stepping stones, the muddy waters
of a dirty pond; two leaping frogs
under a golden sky,
november

no, you don't remember
the treachery of that soggy incident,
you don't, you won't, you can't recall
how you forced inside
the bodily fluids, the excrements,
ravaging every cavity

a leaping frog nailed to the ground,
a cutting board; the flesh,
shredded

screams are silenced
since you don't recall
the awful treachery
forcing the pain inside,
the soul, hollowed; the scream,
silenced


belinda murphy (Richmond, VA, 1979)