Parents
they sat at a table
the three of them
as they always have
the dad, the mom and the daughter
the daughter now 18
she tells us she’s about to be married
to a military man
and how she can’t wait to follow him
from place to place
land to land
as she beams in love’s pure light
her dad doesn’t say too much
his face says it all
her mother smiles
sad smiles
their daughter’s 18
what do you do
you can’t beg
you can’t say, “Please …”
you can’t stowaway
you can’t torture her with tears
you can’t scream or rant or rave
you can’t play the guilt game
you can’t give way
you’ve got to stay
right where you are
so she’ll know how
to find you …
her mother
her father
TL