A. Tony Jerome
From: Sam after The Babadook and Carrie after the Blood
To: Their Mothers
Mum, when you are angry Mama, when I am angry
everything terrifies
and I don't know how to get
your my
monster out
do you do I
even want to?
Can you hear me? Are you listening?
Everyone says Everyone knows
I don't belong
But you should've
been different.
You know you scare me and I know I scare you too.
But I didn't But I did
mean it.
Did you?
It's an excuse I can make It's a truth I can confess
because I love you.
I know what's in you
won't always let you
love me back
and that's okay and that's not okay
I will fight
your demons for you alongside your demons
until you can love me right
if ever.
Don't cry: Don't die
There's enough time You're all I have left.
to catch our breath.
The monster is in the "and without blood there is no
basement and that's where forgiveness of sins." Hebrews 9:22
he'll stay. See?
I didn't forget
We got out this time We're forgiven, Mama.
We're forgiven but
Promise we won't go back?
it shouldn't have been like this.
Never like this.
Mrs. Roach says there shouldn't
be so much death in the living.
We're not going back, right?
Don't go back down there.
.....Mum? I'm so sorry, Mama.
But you should be too.
To: Their Mothers
Mum, when you are angry Mama, when I am angry
everything terrifies
and I don't know how to get
your my
monster out
do you do I
even want to?
Can you hear me? Are you listening?
Everyone says Everyone knows
I don't belong
But you should've
been different.
You know you scare me and I know I scare you too.
But I didn't But I did
mean it.
Did you?
It's an excuse I can make It's a truth I can confess
because I love you.
I know what's in you
won't always let you
love me back
and that's okay and that's not okay
I will fight
your demons for you alongside your demons
until you can love me right
if ever.
Don't cry: Don't die
There's enough time You're all I have left.
to catch our breath.
The monster is in the "and without blood there is no
basement and that's where forgiveness of sins." Hebrews 9:22
he'll stay. See?
I didn't forget
We got out this time We're forgiven, Mama.
We're forgiven but
Promise we won't go back?
it shouldn't have been like this.
Never like this.
Mrs. Roach says there shouldn't
be so much death in the living.
We're not going back, right?
Don't go back down there.
.....Mum? I'm so sorry, Mama.
But you should be too.
A. Tony Jerome is a twenty one year old explosion of messes. They are queer black writer and contributing editor to Words Dance Magazine, was published in a book about how horses heal (Wild at Heart by Heather Kirby), and has work that can be found on theEEEL. Fun facts: they tied a pillowcase to their back and tried to fly after seeing Sky High, their mantra can be found in Wreck-It Ralph, The Babadook, or Orphan Black (depending on the day) and they’re terrified of mostly everything but art makes the fear easier to hold.