Pshaw

“Pshaw!” My grandmother said
as she thumped and bumped about
her crowded kitchen
steam rising, having
heated conversation with herself

Rankled by my grandfather's
latest excuse for not helping
around the house

Thwack!  She smacked
the meat down on the counter
pounding and whacking
dinner into submission
Beyond exasperation
stewing, livid

“Pshaw!” She said again
louder this time, making me jump
sounding like the air-brake
on my Grandfather's big truck
letting off pressure

Little and fiery
fierce and feisty
my Grandfather had no idea
what he was up against
the volatile, volcanic fury
of a woman thwarted

“Land's Sakes, Willard!”
was his final warning
but he let it go past that-
to the point of
“Pshaw!”

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Line Gauthier

Date: 1/16/2021 11:45:00 AM

An absolutely delightful poem, Rhona ~ this sweet little old lady is so lovable. She belonged to the generation when women worked their fingers to the bone. And nobody would dream of offering help, least of all the husband. So glad to see this lovely poem in the 2020 PS Anthology~

Rhona Mcferran
Date: 2/5/2021 12:07:00 PM

Thank you so much, Line! Sorry I just now saw your lovely comment... Hope you are doing well, it great to hear from you! Much Love, Rhona

Caren Krutsinger

Date: 10/10/2018 1:51:00 PM

Oh, I have met your grandmother, and Willard, you had better start shutting yourself up in the bathroom with the paper, because she is not in the greatest of moods. I had forgotten the way women used to let us know back then.

Rhona Mcferran
Date: 10/10/2018 2:35:00 PM

I ran across this word and instantly had a memory of my grandmother saying it with that fire in her eyes... it's funny now, but it was a bit frightening as a child! ;D

Michelle Faulkner

Date: 10/9/2018 3:18:00 PM

'the volatile, volcanic fury/of a woman thwarted' she sounds like a force of nature!

Rhona Mcferran
Date: 10/9/2018 6:12:00 PM

She definitely was! ;D

Rhona Mcferran

Date: 10/8/2018 10:28:00 PM

In memory of my fiery-tempered grandmother (who was a master of the word 'pshaw')... She managed to say it with such vehemence that it fully expressed all of its potential meanings (irritation, disapproval, disbelief, contempt) at the same time!