horse-faced Big Louie
foul-mouthed
sixteen-year-old
punched me in the
head because
he said
I thought that I, only
twelve years old, KNEW
EVERYTHING.

He chased me
across the lawn
as I ran
into the house
and
across the kitchen
and pulled the
butcher knife
from the drawer.

He came through the door
as I turned
and as my grandmother came in from the
dining room.

She shouted and
waved her broom
and Big Louie
backed-down
while the knife
sweated in my hand.