Exclusive Poetry Feature: “Dinah” by Millie Tullis

 

…….And he took her, and lay with her, and humbled her. (Genesis 34:2)

 

daddy knew right away

sat me down and said

is this a good boy

 

it hurt to sit

i am thirteen

i am crying

 

am i crying

if i start

i can’t stop

 

daddy said

they’re good people

momma put on her hat

 

followed him out

good people

we are

 

………..my best friend home

………..sick that day

………..i walked the short cut

 

………………..it was a new dress

………………..pretty as a picture too 

………………..much pink in the trees

 

momma says 

i’m getting married 

i can’t go to school

 

for the baby i gotta 

rework some old things 

stitch up some new things

 

the small white socks

i make with one

long thread

 

………………..my brothers are angry

………………..at him comin

………………..to sunday dinner 

 

………………..daddy won’t 

………………..let them get

………………..a word in

 

………..someone don’t

………..come home 

………..that night

 

Millie Tullis is an MFA poetry candidate at George Mason University. Her work has been published or is forthcoming in Sugar House Review, Rock & Sling, Cimarron Review, Ninth Letter, Juked, and elsewhere. She serves as the Assistant Editor for Best of the Net and Poetry Editor and Social Media Manager for Phoebe. She also reads for Poetry Daily. You can find her on twitter @millie_tullis.