My grandmother was a farm girl
And I a city hick.
She took me to the barnyard
to show me a country trick.
We saw a rooster fucking
She grabbed it by the neck.
That ended his clucking.
I heard his neck crack.
Round and round she spun him
way above her head.
I felt my throat callin’
“ I wanna go to bed!”
That bird no longer chicken
flopped about in dirt.
Wings flappin’ bleedin’ twistin’.
My neck began to hurt.
Right now I can see it.
Headless spray more than a gush
when my Granny was laughing
and telling me to hush.
On Nonie’s lap I was quieting.
The chicken stood still.
Waiting for me to stop sobbing.
Then keeling over at will.
I knew that was a message
from the Commander of the Barn.
This was my rite of passage:
Get even for a harm.
Right there a big fat kneecap
whose wrinkles taunted me.
I sunk my teeth. A bad act!
Nonie hobbled off. No knee.
Surprise when she didn’t come back
wielding that axe with blood.
Instead she gave me one big smack
and told me how much I was loved.
“Be careful what you say and do.
And on top of that think
who’s on top and loves you?”
It’s Nonie. Your missing link.