Monopoly

The Monopoly board is spread in front of us

My properties

Litter the table

Two reds, two yellows, an orange, a green and the enviable Boardwalk

My mom gets up to leave

It’s entirely too easy

My dad’s relaxed, joking

He is always relaxed

Could be the one to wipe the smile off his face?

I snatch up the bottle

Anxianxiety pills become candy, Skittles

Down my throat

He is on me, yelling, forcing my jaw open until eyes blur

Is that because I wiped the smile off  his face?

Pills fly, half dissolved chunks all over the board

Water sprays onto Community Chest cards

My mom is at his side

She is screaming

More chunks, powder this time

Like I was about to do lines off of Marvin Gardens

In the aftermath we are silent

It was awkward, clumsy, desperate

It was my second suicide attempt

I was saved once before

By a dull razor and well meaning parents

The roar of an ambulance

Winnie the Pooh’s fur matted with blood

A dorm room massacre

Cannot compare

With a Monopoly game when I wiped the smile off my dad’s face