\n \t we had goldfish and they circled around and around
\nin the bowl on the table near the heavy drapes
\ncovering the picture window and
\nmy mother, always smiling, wanting us all
\nto be happy, told me, “be happy Henry!”
\nand she was right: it’s better to be happy if you
\ncan
\nbut my father continued to beat her and me several times a week while
\nraging inside his 6-foot-two frame because he couldn’t
\nunderstand what was attacking him from within. <\/p>\n
my mother, poor fish,
\nwanting to be happy, beaten two or three times a
\nweek, telling me to be happy: “Henry, smile!
\nwhy don’t you ever smile?” <\/p>\n
and then she would smile, to show me how, and it was the
\nsaddest smile I ever saw <\/p>\n
one day the goldfish died, all five of them,
\nthey floated on the water, on their sides, their
\neyes still open,
\nand when my father got home he threw them to the cat
\nthere on the kitchen floor and we watched as my mother
\nsmiled <\/p>\n
Charles Bukowski<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
we had goldfish and they circled around and around in the bowl on the table near the heavy drapes covering the picture window and my mother, always smiling, wanting us all to be happy, told me, “be happy Henry!” and … Continue reading