A GROWN CHILD

A GROWN CHILD

she is happy, cheerful
clothes of bright orange
age on her face – tanned

she worried about space
where she and her daughter
would sit

laying blue towels
advertising the Yankees
on beach chairs at the pool

satisfied her - as she
lifted her daughter’s arms
to cross on her lap

a mother claps – smiles
rewarding herself – a
job well done

watched her walk up
a hill empty handed -
knew her hands soon

would fill with pain and
love – as she wipes a
mouth of a grown

child – who doesn’t
know her name – as
she carries around

a heart of glass as
it breaks into pieces
– of love

but she continues
day after day to care
for her grown child

wipes her mouth –
she wants her to live

as her age show
rapidly with each
sunset of her life.

Nancy Duci Denofio
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