I cry for Daddy.
A CALL FOR DADDY BY KANISHA LAMPKIN 34THPARALLEL MAGAZINE ISSUE 14
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California’s night breeze follows my father back inside the house.
The living room chilled and all seems to be calmed,
But his face is hard with anger, his death stare piercing the devils’ backs.
I know a storm is to come, I know war is declared.
Now the moon is full and the stars fade,
I hear sounds, loud sounds, engine roaring sounds; they overpower the cartoons I’m watching.
The sounds are getting closer, I see a car, no I see three cars;
The devils in red are here, the storm has come.
Daddy says they’re just cars and the skies are clear with no storm cloud in sight.
My body still trembles and I climb in his lap but fear is still rushing through my veins.
He squeezes me and kisses me to calm the rush.
I hear one last boom of threatening thunder and the lightning strikes our living room.
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POW POW,
The fish tank breaks; the room is flooding in water as my body is drowning in fear.
The window shatters, then the TV. collapses, the st…