Mary

A woman I met a long time ago

when I first met her

Her smile was so wise

you could see  

the girl in her eyes

but family around

the smile disappears 

it all seems to be

the sum of her fears

her son ran the drugs

with the help of his dad

selling sweet dreams

that always turned bad

she sat with me once

and said not a word

she just looked so scared

like a beautiful caged bird

Reviews

[barleygirl]

This is a brilliant portrait of an everyday person painted with compassion & a ton of nuance . . . meaning, for each stroke of paint you apply, you splatter off a rainbow of possibilities in the reader's mind. It takes much thought to write a fulsome portrait that feels a little sketchy, but becuz of how you choose the details, we get a much larger picture than just what the words suggest. I like how you leave the ending up in the air, we don't know how the narrator feels about all this, but each reader will take it in a different direction . . . like wishing you could go back & maybe reached out in a way that could help her open up. Or maybe feeling good becuz no interaction was required, just a nearness & a silent sharing of the obvious. So many possibilities spring from your simple strokes (((HUGS))) Fondly, Margie

[Misterr Remeat]

This was back in the 80s. I still see her sweet scared smile. When she smiled I could see the girl she was.

[Robert Trakofler]

short sweet and sharp good sir:) few things upset me more than to see someone abused and not be able to do anything about it:( this one pulls at my heart strings as she must of yours

[Misterr Remeat]

This was back in the 80's. Last I heard the son was in jail. I don't know what happened Mary or her husband. Hopefully straightened their lives out

[Paul Bell]

The inner sanctum of a broken family.
Wonder in all her dreams if she thought this was her future.
Maybe life changed for the good, but I doubt it.

[Misterr Remeat]

They lived in the suite below us. She never went out unless she was accompanied by husband or son.

[Paul Bell]

I suppose she's just a prisoner of life.