Even with kids in the house
we use the brutal words

of our bodies. Those hard
sharp words—more grunt

and hurt than not.
More slap and smack—

more stab wound
and cauterize.

What does a child know
of cock? of cunt?

of the dense heat
of sound?

of monosyllabics
in their small ears

easy to say but
not understand?

-Chris McCurry