Meditation #21

Everyone on this show is
LOUD

from the insistently
neutral host

to the mother
screaming indignantly
at being accused of sleeping
with her eighteen year old stepson
calling the accuser
A DOG

to the stepson who is proclaiming that
it’s not true
that the four year old is not his
he would have been fourteen
and that’s
NASTY

to the aggrieved father
of said eighteen year old
who is making the accusation
and is himself accused
of not

MANNING UP

to the crowd cheering on their favorites

and the only moment of hush comes
with the ripping of the envelope
and the announcement that
NO ONE HERE
is the father

at which point there’s more yelling than ever

and everyone running around
to thunderous applause

All we ever see of the four year old
is a still picture
his eyes wary
his head thrust forward just a little
leading with his chin