To Graciela
My mom works long
hard hours
She’s got sardonic
wit hides behind
a mind
numb only recently
ferreted I tell you
there’s a woman
in there pretending
suppressed by life
pushed back from
the grind
as a family we were
one child not enough
on paper too much
stamped denied
all alone she tried
college interrupted
by a child too
dependent a
marriage that ended
she wasn’t from here
didn’t know the tricks
where to turn
but she tried
sent her daughter to college
taking in debt
the kind that can’t
erase
she sees others
with homes new cars
money that wasn’t
earned except they
had more than one
child less than the line
these were accepted
but her
accused she’s a trump
no way she can worry
money no problem
then where did it go?
