Federico Giovannini, from “You and I”. Source: lensculture.com
Knowing a father’s belt has snap-
ping metal teeth, one does not
have to think of kneeling.
One kneels. One kneels
to please before the word is
heard or the leather tongue
slides drily through the loops.
If one is an only child, staying
home from school, eating
all the jelly-cola one wants
while a mother lies in hospital squeezing,
one must be careful with the pleasing.
One must be slow and careful that no
hair gets caught in one’s braces.
This hurts a father and
ruins the mood. Metal teeth
are met with metal teeth.
When one sees the constellation
on his sister’s skull,
one presses on the points right away.
Those weak, soft points have the beautiful girl-
name, fontanelle.
