"THE DORMITORY NUN"

Stocky,
dark-complexioned,
stern and severe,
her strap, at the ready,
the dormitory nun
held a tight rein
in the boys' dormitory
at St. Vincent's Orphanage.

Up through a strict Teutonic rearing
repressive force was her choice
for keeping orphan boys
compliant with the rules.

At bedtime,
silence was the rule.
Those who broke it
had to "kneel out"
on the hallway hardwood floor.

One day,
in the hallway,
the dormitory nun motioned for a boy,
just transferred to St. Vincent's
from St. Ann's Infant Home,
to try on several items
of donated clothing
which lay in piles
on two long tables,
one at each side of the entranceway
to the dorm.
The six year old,
slow and awkward,
anger flashed across the sister's face.
The boy,
frightened,
his bowels filled his drawers.

The dormitory nun,
infuriated,
grabbed the boy and
clamped his head
between her knees.

And as her brown Franciscan habit,
enveloped the boy in darkness,
strap in hand,
the dormitory nun gave a stinging
whipping
to the crying boy.

January 2, 200l

(The boy in this poem is the author of this book of poems.
The dormitory nun always kept a discarded
machinery strap in her side pocket.
Fortunately, this was the only strapping the
boy ever received at the orphanage.)