My mother and i

Pick the Georgia blueberries

Under a sad sky

I eat them happily, turning my white shirt purple.

It was just us                    

 

A man knocks on our door

Selling books. I’ve seen him many times. Mom always

Smiles when he comes. He

Brings me lollipops and winks

Before he leaves. She fell in love

 

My mother and I lay in uncomfortable silence after

she tucks me in. I begin to smell the smoke fill the

room. I fall asleep to them shouting. We

didn’t know better.

 

She walked down the aisle, a

Large bump in her dress

She kisses my forehead, wipes

The chocolate from my cheek

Things will be better now, she

Tells me. We’re a family

 

My mother and I dodge

picture frames and ill- temperaments

I hide my sister in the

Closet. She giggles, thinking its

A game. Sirens wail

The storm subsides and

Suddenly we are in the wake

Of the damage. We grew up quick.