Ballade Of The Monster Poem by Gert Strydom

(after Jeni Couzyn, after Ted Hughes)

She says he has been deformed like this since birth,
to me almost like some strange thing coming from the earth
with blank bloodshot eyes, sometimes right and sometimes squint
and in silence of his presence you would not have a hint.

Chorus:
He has broken plates, pots and pans in great anger,
to me at times has been a great menacing danger,
a mentally impaired unscrupulous living thing
that do its fists, knees and feet swing when it's attacking,

where on padded feet he is always sneaking up
with hands and arms bent round like a cup
but the yellowwood floorboards creak under his weight
where he stares from just taller than a tall man's height,

does always attack the back or kidneys in huge rage
and at thirty acts as if at a primary school child's age
where he has broken doorknobs, left holes in doors,
has scattered broomsticks that he broke on the floors

do at any time night or day burst into our bedroom
do even when she is bathing go into the bathroom
and she thinks that he is tamed and in her control
while constantly around cursing he does stroll.

For thirty years he has been king in that house
and for the slightest his great anger do arouse
as he is an expert even in other people's speciality
and he kicked me, did hit me and broke a broom over me.

"He loves you, is just challenging you, " she said
and I knew if this continues at a time he would be dead
as any man will defend himself at a time if facing this,
as even Christianity has a limit and I walked out instead.

[Reference:"The Beast" by Jeni Couzyn."The Minotaur" by Ted Hughes.]