Poem Review: The Monkey Wrench

Most families have sibling and domestic disputes that start when brothers and sisters are young. Most families, with the help from parental intervention, have these differences settled by the time all are grown. Some families this process stalls, festers and carry’s over into adult life. Introduce individuality, dissimilarities in life’s philosophies and overall character traits that are as different as black and white, and you will find “rubs” that run deep and last a lifetime.

“ the instructions given from dawn to dusk
when young and innocent
cut grooves that scare the very soul
and set a precedent”


When I wrote “the monkey wrench” I found myself having to turn the microscope on my actions, past and present, to see what was my involvement. I was raised with the upbringing that there is always a root cause to problems and blame finds the right lap to fall into. As I have grown older I no longer buy into that trend of thought. Shit happens and many times no one is to blame.

“the search goes on for who’s to blame
a quest to pin the reason
its funny that someone is held on trial
the verdict found high treason”

I have found that oil and water just don’t mix no matter how hard I try to shake and mix them together. So when the day is done and oil and water have separated who’s to blame but the one who poured them together expecting different results. None the less, when it came down to it all, I felt I had become a root cause to my families problems and in actuality became
“the monkey wrench”.


Here is my poem:

The Monkey Wrench

Each family has its up and downs
siblings have their rubs.
For many “that’s OK” is enough,
some have their tires ripped from the hubs.

The search goes on for who’s to blame
a quest to pin the reason.
It's funny that someone is held on trial
the verdict found of high treason.

The instructions given from dawn to dusk
when young and innocent,
cut grooves that scare the very soul
and set a precedent.

Time has a way of healing most
it forgives or often exposes,
actions and words said in blurred eyesight,
assumptions and supposes.

Life times pass with hurt feelings
bad blood has but one stench.
Am I the one who drew his sword,
am I the monkey wrench?

Copyright © 2007 Ronald J. Edwards