by Jennifer K. Sweeney
Suppose your mother had thorns
which she hid under baggy dresses
and you were just a child.
Would that explain the river between you?
Suppose during your birthday toast
there was a goldfish in your wine glass.
Would it be auspicious or foreboding?
And suppose tenderness is only a small thing
you could give, simple as a peppermint.
Would you wake with the dread you’ve felt for years?
Or would you remember to feed the lilies
because you’re human and they are alive?
From How to Live on Bread and Music (Perugia Press, 2009)
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*Photo courtesy of Grantsviews.