Tuesday, March 23, 2010

a little something to tide me over

closing the gap

glasses perched on her nose
hands at ten and two
hunched so far
her chin nearly rests on the
steering wheel
her hair is short, gray -
the kind that needs the
beauty parlor on
saturday mornings
(today is thursday)
and she drives her grandson
to middle school
her white coat with carolina blue trim
is from jc penney
her white minivan the fanciest
that ford makes
and she drives her grandson
to middle school
he calls her mom
maybe because his biological is
strung out
can't handle being a biological
in iraq
going through a terrible divorce
or
passed away
so
she knows
the teachers' names
why the boy didn't dress out for PE last week
(he lost his gym bag again)
what time to be in car line in the afternoons
the cost of an extra cookie at lunch
how to figure the volume of a coke can

she is golden
and
he is becoming

2 comments:

  1. This one brought a tear to my eye. There are too many grandmothers raising their grandchildren and as a nana, I know that it just isn't "right". I do not have the energy. I am not "up to date" on the things that kids enjoy and like. I am too much a pushover. God bless all grandparents who have that responsibility and God bless their precious grandchildren--it is not their fault.

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  2. certainly tugs on the heartstrings...

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