Non-Mom’s Non-Husband Steps Out
for a smoke, or a dentist appointment,
or manly work, like lifting log
cabin Republicans. Non-Mom explains
he’ll be right back as some guy
with scary eyes unravels plumbing.
Non-Mom shares details
about her non-husband, how strong
and punches strangers for breakfast.
When the plumber pulls a knife
and slices her wall, she knows no non-
husband can save her now. Non-Mom’s got
mace. She’s got a bat from failed attempts
at softball, heels so spike
they could take out a human eye.
The plumber stabs her walls,
shouts, points the knife at her stomach.
It’s hot in her apartment. He asks her
for a glass of water. She doesn’t know
why a husband seems necessary
for saving her body. She was taught, etc.
Non-Mom brings water the way
women bring water to men
they know could cut. She asks
questions about TV.
by Carol Guess
Carol Guess is the author of twenty books of poetry and prose, including Doll Studies: Forensics and Tinderbox Lawn. A frequent collaborator, she writes across genres and illuminates historically marginalized material. In 2014 she was awarded the Philolexian Award for Distinguished Literary Achievement by Columbia University. She teaches at Western Washington University and lives in Seattle.
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What surprising, fascinating stuff can you tell us about the origin, drafting, and/or final version of “Non-Mom’s Non-Husband Steps Out”? “Non-Mom” is a character developed in collaboration with poet Rochelle Hurt; we’re midway through a joint manuscript of Non-Mom poems. Usually we join forces on each poem, but I wrote this one solo and it just stuck. I’m especially happy with the last line, because I sometimes write past the ending and try to wrap things up. I worry a lot about sentimentality in my work. Here I think I deflected that gesture, and the horror of the experience (which actually happened to me) remains the core of a poem that is also oddly humorous.
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