I HOPE YOUR MOTHER CRIED HERSELF TO SLEEP WHEN SHE FOUND OUT WHAT YOU DID

CW: infidelity, sexual imagery

Do you put your fingers in her?

Climb inside her and tear her apart

When she leaves you will she still feel you 

in her stomach and her chest?

Taste your blood on her lips?

Metallic like the ring you want her to have

too small for her finger — it’s turning purple. And eventually 

she’ll cut it off 

More courage than I ever had. 

Heard your voicemail more than my ringtone 

 

Anger hits months later 

You’re off playing happy families 

I’m screaming to the mirror 

I’m sleeping in my bed alone

I’m scraping what’s left of you out of me

You were a good partner and a bad man

or so I’m told 

If I say it enough maybe it’ll stick 

Two years of keeping you warm caked soot in my lungs 

I hope it was worth it.

 

I hope your mother cried herself to sleep when she 

found out what you did.

I hope she looks at you and sees your father 

Realises she failed to make you a man.

I hope 

you couldn’t bring yourself to say you were unfaithful

That the words stuck thorns in your lungs

Her hands burnt on your skin 

I hope the first time you fucked her

you cried.

We acknowledge the Ngunnawal and Ngambri people, who are the Traditional Custodians of the land on which Woroni, Woroni Radio and Woroni TV are created, edited, published, printed and distributed. We pay our respects to Elders past and present. We acknowledge that the name Woroni was taken from the Wadi Wadi Nation without permission, and we are striving to do better for future reconciliation.