after Angela Ball
To have red lipstick for a mother
is to pray for straight teeth.
To have a rice cake for a mother means
pouring skim milk over Special K.
To have a curling iron for a mother
is to long for blonde hair.
To have a streetlight for a mother
is to travel only in pairs.
To have a bible for a mother means
impeccable posture.
If your mother is a blue flame, you suck
ice cubes. Leave candles unattended.
My mother is a Sunday dress. I own
a spring-form pan, keep boxes of
graham crackers on hand.
My mother is a garden party. I shop
at white elephant tables, drink
tea from chipped china.
My mother is a carnival. I grow a
beard, try my luck with the
strong man.
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Danielle Devereaux is presently at work on a manuscript of poems and a PhD.
