Jacqueline Crompton Ottaway has been writing stories, poems and children’s books for over twenty years and is delighted to be a member of three writing groups who help to keep her on the strait (but not too narrow) path. She especially enjoys her workshops with ‘The Eye Street Poets’ and has gained great help, insights and laughter working with Raewyn Alexander, Jack Ross, Alice Hooton, Ila Selwyn and Rosetta Allan.
It’s Getting Rough in College Hill
- Oral literature from Mr. R. Crompton
Mary fries the chips
she batters the fish
‘Open the bloody door
Where’s my dinner?’
She trembles
at the waste in his voice
Their children peer through the blinds
eyes wide, shoulders hunched
they dodge his kick
duck his punches
‘Out of the way, you bastards
a man should give you a hiding
Knock the living daylights out of you
What a life for a man
working all day
home from the pub
hungry and tired
no tea on the table
your mother’s a bitch
a cunt and a whore
she’s lazy and fat
stupid and dumb’
he sits on the bed
strips off his clothes
smells the fat and the fish
‘About time,’ he yells
His mouth waters
the food is good
‘Here’s your bloody dinner’
She moves towards him
tips the boiling fat
over the gap in his underpants
