Molly's Moan 1958 Poem by Terry Collett

He would say
when he got in
from work:
how's the dog
and kids?

Did you get
my cigarettes
and did Joe ring
about the horses?

Then he'd sit down
in his armchair,
sweat seeping
into the chair back,
and say:
get us a beer.

You'd get him
a beer and flick
off the top.

He'd down it
with that horrible
slurping sound,
and he'd turn on
the TV box
and sit staring at it.

The dog bit
the postman
and the kids
have played up
something bad
you'd say.

He'd laugh
at the TV,
some programme
he liked
and say nothing
about the dog
or kids.

Just slurp the beer
and burp and laugh.

You at the stove
getting the dinner;
and you could have
stood there naked
and he wouldn't
have turned a hair.

You wish
it had been
Max you went with
instead of him.

But Max
was too quiet
and was careful
with his dough
and said sex
was only
for after marriage
and he only wanted
the two kids
a boy and girl.

But no
you went
and married
this dick
and married
merry hell.