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Papa T and Granny E

Papa T and Granny E

a tree fell

on his truck

and he didn’t

replace it

instead

he drives her car

but she don’t mind

at all

he’d ease himself

in it

and go to see her

taking baby steps

he’d make it

from the parking lot

to the door

down the hall

his third leg

a cane

and she’d be waiting

for him

he’d sit in the corner

and watch

her sleep

and wake up

watch her being fed

and changed

and take her medicine

and get her blood pressure

if he thought

she needed something

he’d get up

and make his way

back down the hall

and get somebody

and turn around

and head back

down the hall

and when she’d cry out

in agony

he’d say, “It’s all right Mama,

it’ll be all right …”

she was his wife, not his mother

but he always called her, Mama

‘cause that’s what the kids called her

just to hear his voice

the sound the same

would soothe her

somehow

but as the days

drew on

he could not

reach her

no more

still he tried

Sunday morning

she was gone

but he’s still

sitting there

in the corner

waiting for her

to come back

to him

TL

Published inTamiko Lowery