They need more care.
Mom can't admit
the half of it:
Dad's not all there.
Mom can't admit
they need more care.
Homeric
For years, he's been at sea. Today, again —
her busy hands just finishing a row —
Mom turns to make a comment, and he's gone,
unraveling the lengths to which she's gone
to keep the vow that, time and time again,
she's sworn: to keep this house his home. Her "Oh!"
cues sirens' song. She waits alone as row
by row expands the search net's polygon.
The blue tide brings him back to her again.
Again, his urge to row away's not gone.
Being the Bad Guy
She doesn’t want to face it yet.
You’re forced to force her to. Today
you bring it up; she gets upset.
She doesn’t want to face it yet.
You love her, and you’d like to let
your aging mother have her way.
She doesn’t want to. Face it. Yet
you’re forced to. Force her to. Today.
Julie Steiner
If you have any thoughts about these poems, Julie Steiner would like to hear them
