The Iron and Bandage of Love

The Kings. Jack and Pearl loved each other.
Twelve years - the gifts of domestic abuse
were not reason for her to stop loving him.

When Jack drank he’d cat’o’nine’tail the air on her.
In his public airing of love he once dragged her
along a road hanging off the cardoor like his scarf.

But she knew him. Abuse began before they married.
The restraining orders she took against him several times
did nothing. She didn’t leave because she loved him.

Jack King, convicted seven times of assaulting his wife.
Pearl forgave him. He served seven months jail for one
assault, refusing AA courses - as if it would end their love.

The last five years, he drank every day all day, beating her
as if it was the gold on their marriage, a contract with a bottle
where if a genie didn’t appear he’d attack her every second day.

At 64 he sailed down a morning, twelve schooners of beer
in less than half so many hours. He, sinking when she ferried him
home from Blacktown RSL club - taunted her: “Eternally stupid!”.

Eternally unreasonable! she cut bulk cat meat with a paring knife.
Under the dull tirade of his liverish taunts, it was she suddenly burst,
and punched at that lumpish blot of love - no other reason in mind.

Who’d've believed how deep a table blade could pierce him. He moved
so the fist stabbed in his chest! She hardly coped with that because
she had never been penetrating enough even to hurt him before.

All memory of his blood falling as love wounds blurs in her.
At 61 she hardly highlights one countless bruise. She’d hazard that she
saw to neighbours, the ambulance, Jack dead in Blacktown hospital.

It wasn’t love that died, only him, Jack King her best mate.
Even when she pleaded guilty to his manslaughter, Pearl
told the whole court she loved him. She loves him still.

There was not reason enough to ditch him. It was not
with reason enough she slew him. Eternally stupid? No!
Eternally unreasonable! The iron and bandage of love.


21 July 1998 © Wayne David Knoll,
Goulburn, New South Wales- Malmsbury, Victoria, Australia

First published in the book anthology ‘Hush, Men Are Speaking’ 1999, Woodend, Victoria