Domestic Violence

I saw _North Country_ with
a friend yesterday afternoon,

which was a bit surreal and completely ironic
since I had just experienced

my own erruption of violence before
she and I met at the empty cinema.


My partner and I were arguing
the same-old-same-old
in the kitchen: me, sitting at the table drinking coffee;
him, standing at the sink.

I felt that, once again, he was using
an old tactic . . . desperate,
I wanted to try something new.

He made an aggressive body motion
to indicate his ultimate frustration.

I? In response, I threw my coffee mug to the side;
I threw a saucer to the side. "Yeah?" I screamed.
The face plate to the stove's oven shattered.

Fell to the floor.

We've never been in silence this long.

I picked up my coat and left;
left him to pick up the pieces. Like I always do.

What scares me?
I've never been this calm, after being so angry.