The Ogre [2] Poem by Gert Strydom

I had bought two-dozen eggs,
some baking soda, baking meal
along with the other groceries,
beef, chicken, lamb,
vegetables and fruit
and had forgotten
to buy icing sugar
on your command.

I carried the groceries
from the car
and placed them
in the pantry, the fridge,
or where ever they belonged.

You were baking cake
and preparing some cookies
and like a blizzard
went through the shopping bags
searching for items.

Demented, for me forgetting
icing sugar, the ogre
awakened in you
and I saw it peering
through your eyes.

First a glass mixing bowl
went flying to the ground
shattering into pieces of glass
and in shock fascination
I watch you
put a plastic bowl
on a red hot stove plate
before slamming it
right into my face.

I screamed in terror
and tried to wipe
sizzling molten plastic
from my forehead
and cheeks,
(thanking God you missed
my eyes) .

You screamed something
smashing the eggs on the floor
and then somehow
the ogre went back
to the cave
where it was hiding in you
and I knew
what the word maniac
in manic bipolar depression meant.