At the Galleria

Mel,

When you stood in front of me
as I was seated at one of the tables,
in the Darwin City Galleria
(Darwin, Northern Territory,
Australia),
and I couldn't look at you,
it was because I was afraid
that you were going to shout at me again,
like you did in the "family meeting",
when you took your grief out on me
for the abuse that you had been
subjected to there.

                                                                                       This was also the feeling that I had
                                                                                       as you were crouching behind your fence,
                                                                                       as I walked past you
                                                                                       to go to Merrilyn's place next-door,

                                                                                       Maybe it's been at the back of my mind
                                                                                       every time we've met.
                                                                                       Maybe this is stopping me from
                                                                                       being able to speak to you.
                                                                                   
                                                                                       Are you going to take your emotions
                                                                                       out on me again ?
                                                   
                                                                                       Maybe it's time for me to face this.                                                      
text (c) Katherine Stuart 2017