Four Women

Book One:

No, I am not like her at all.
Mother was lipstick and
perfume. My father and I
were camping and dogs. We
wanted a Beagle. She held
out against us as long as
she could. In the end that
mutt went over to her side.

Book Two:

When I woke up in the
hospital Mommy was right
by my side. I wanted to be like
her. She could do root canal
without novocain. My body
was broken. I needed drugs
for the pain and fear. She
could not understand that.

Book Three:

Daddy called her Mrs.
America for sixty five years.
There were five of us, but it
was mostly about the two
of them. They did not miss
me when I finally left home.
After she died I took her
engagement ring and sold it.