Poem: Expecting Nothing

The lowest of expectations are key to abuse and abuse can be very subtle.

Expecting Nothing Her eyes are dark with quiet fear, furtive, clinging to the silver ornament of his scuffed boots, worn thin more by arrogance than time Speaking with her body, imagery, she is currency, he holds the note Her worth is as he values it, not more Immediate and subject to an alien law, the resource unshared, a one way deal Her book written in posture, no kind words Who needs the other less is winner and he holds all aces, kings and queens Like money, some is never quite enough She is only some, the bills well worn Unspendable, dropped finally in gutters, her inconvenience defined, a shaky cigarette offered with contempt, before the execution Wordlessly, he turned and left, she followed, trailed his silver booted indifference, firing a hail of silent bullets, catching her wide eyed Her bleeding, long past remembered pain, expecting nothing, knowing it was there

This poem is included in Jim Freeman's poetry collection CORNER OF MY MIND available here in print or as an e-Book in your favorite formats.