Category: tutto e niente

Flash Fiction, Haiku & Other Poetry, Random Rants, tutto e niente

A Fable for Our Times: A Girl and the Pig in the Window

Tina Stewart Brakebill

I started writing this over a year ago. (I believe it was in the week or two after his election.) I got stuck in the middle and put it aside because I didn’t know how to finish it. Then we moved and it got forgotten until this week when I was cleaning out some old drop box files. This time the end seemed to write itself.  It’s an odd little poem / not poem but I like it. Maybe you will too.

A Fable for Our Times: A Girl and the Pig in the Window

One day the girl passed by a pig in the window.

The pig snorted and panted and wriggled as he stared through the glass and just as she passed he yelled: you’ve got a nice ass.

The girl thought to herself: why does that pig make those noises when I pass by his window? And why do I feel like I must let it pass?

Another day the girl passed by a pig in the window.

The pig snorted and panted and wriggled as he stared through the glass and just as she passed he yelled: you’d be pretty if only you’d smile!

The girl thought to herself: why does that pig make those noises when I pass by his window? And why do his words make feel so dirty and vile?

Another week the girl passed by a pig in the window.

The pig snorted and panted and wriggled as he stared through the glass and just as she passed he yelled: What the hell bitch – think you’re too good to even get a hello!

The girl thought to herself: why does the pig make those noises when I pass by his window? And why do I feel like I can’t just yell NO?

Another month the girl passed by a pig in the window.

The pig snorted and panted and wriggled as he stared through the glass and just as she passed he yelled: Fuck you! You’re a fat ugly cunt!

The girl thought to herself: why does the pig make those noises when I pass by his window? And I wonder, am I alone as I contend with his grunt?

Another year the girl passed by the pig in the window.

The pig snorted and panted and wriggled as he stared through the glass and just as she passed he yelled: I’m sorry you’re upset. You misunderstand. I’m really a nice guy.

But this time the girl brought sisters-in-arms and they all carried signs. #MeToo and #YesAllPigs and #TimesUpForYourKind. She no longer just thought to herself. Or felt all alone. Instead she exclaimed out loud to the world: Your time is over! All pigs must fry!

And as they passed by, for the first time in years, she walked with confidence and held her head high.

Random Rants, tutto e niente

People of St Pete: Barbara Riddle Dvorak

Tina Stewart Brakebill

I recently moved to St Pete with my wonderful partner and I absolutely love it here! The reasons why are numerous. St Pete has fabulous weather, beautiful vistas, a world-class food scene, and a thriving cultural atmosphere. But I’ve found that it’s truly the people that make it special, especially those people I see every day—the store clerks and wait-staff, the bus drivers and baristas, the postal workers and park staff, the custodians and teachers. It’s easy to take these folks for granted but I know that each of them has a story. Those of you that know me, know that I LOVE to write about people and their stories. I’m lucky that a local magazine–Green Bench Monthly–is giving me a chance to do just that with a new column called “People of St Pete.”

This month, I talked with a fabulous woman named Barbara Riddle Dvorak. Like me she’s a writer and fiery feminist. She loves movies and her cat and her daughter (not necessarily in that order!) Interviewing her was loads of fun and we have become great friends. She is helping me to be more optimistic and I am helping her embrace her inner dark side! Head on over to Green Bench Monthly to read more about her. People of St Pete-Barbara Riddle Dvorak