last orders at 'the weekend dad'

Gold cherry
Poem of the week
Pick of the Month

By JupiterMoon

Fri, 22 Aug 2025
  • 748 reads
8 comments
 

last orders at ‘the weekend dad’

 

she’ll be home now

 

the back bedroom

with the coloured lights you put up

as you sit uncleared

screwed up serviettes

dregs of a coke float

and a side of misunderstandings

 

you were there

 

fourteen years ago

when she arrived

red and gasping

dutiful

rasping panic

forming your attachment

 

now

 

she pouts into her phone

only looks at you

for menu choices

or to mention greg

the man who replaced you

twice fold

 

across the tables

 

collapsed men

mirrored into forever

their hatchlings

having flown

this transient nest

of 80s hits and sundaes

 

the bell tolls

 

last orders for numbing

texting takes a while

one finger

many tears

luv u always

luv dad

 

you make sure it’s sent

double check

and check again

before walking

into traffic

Certificate 15
Poem
Unclassified

Comments

Submitted by Insertponceyfre... on

Just so heartbreaking. Poor all of them

 

Submitted by onemorething on

Brilliant writing, moving. It's our Pick of the Day. Do share on social media. 

 

Submitted by onemorething on

This is our Poem of the Week! Congratulations!

 

Submitted by Turlough on

There's so much sadness here in your poem. One of those that I had to read more than once. I'm sorry it had to be written, but I'm glad it was. 

Turlough

Submitted by Mark Say on

Very impressed be how you convey a lot of confusion and pain through a handful of vivid images. Well done Jupiter.

 

Submitted by celticman on

ambiguity in the ending? walk into the traffic. the not perfect made discoverable. 

 

Submitted by hudsonmoon on

Beautifully done, JupiterMoon. In New York we oft times go to a diner on a Saturday morning and have on occasion seen simialr scenerios played out. Or what we imagine is being played out. Really terrific piece.

Rich

 

Submitted by Insertponceyfre... on

This is our Poem of the Month - Congratulations!