Revisiting Neosho Street

____________________

“how the world

can’t keep up with

our dreams…”

—William Stafford, “Living

on the Plains,” The Darkness

Around Us Is Deep

________________

Those Machiavellian moments—

When the world leans in on you

When you’re young and don’t

Understand the Human Heart…

When the Love that created you—

Suddenly doesn’t exist anymore

And your Mother has a couple of

Black eyes for telling Lies…

_________________

When your father beats her up—

Really bad there in that duplex

On Neosho Street because she’d

Been lonely and wanted out…

Sick of being married to him—

Hating the military life and

Wanting to try again to be

Happy while still young   

__________________

Twelve years was enough—

Three kids later and she’d

Had it with her marriage

Of convenience gone sour

Her parents worried that—

She’d be like her mother

Who gave her up at the

Willows Home for adoption

_________________

Surely an early marriage—

And kids would tie her

Down to a nice family

Life of responsibility

It lasted beyond the—

Usual normal Seven

Year Itch but then it

Was time for a change