And That’s the First Time

I can remember

calling my mother

Mom. Not “my mom.”

Not “my mother.”

Mom.

I hope that hurts

my bastard father.

I’m reeling, though

I don’t dare show it.

My father

is a carrion eater.

Maybe I’ve seen it before.

But I’m not sure

I truly realized

until now that

bone picking

might, in fact, be

his favorite hobby

and that his victims

are as varied as his

W  o  m  e  N

and me.