Sweet Sixteen
About the time me being me
Seemed near to happening,
Daddy came home, and pop,
no sooner than he landed
than there was new baby
Pushing its way on to our laps.
Sure enough, Mother was pretty
Soon too sick to be aggravated.
Daddy too busy to help. Guess who
Learned to cook, milk the cow,
Tend the chickens, carry bed pans
Study and then flirt on rare occasions?
Somewhere in there childhood
Got swept under the needs hanging
Around every corner. Long time since
That old feather bed hugged me safe.
Wish some sage had warned lost was
Temporary, being found a heavy yoke.
K. Bruce Florence
5 thoughts on "Sweet Sixteen"
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Some really nice line turns, Bruce.
I also like “and then flirt on rare occasions” and “wept under the needs hanging
Around every corner” and the title.
A great summation of hard living at a too young age.
It’s a shame to be denied a carefree childhood. On the other hand, it makes that person uniquely prepared for adulthood – if that is any consolation.
Compelling poem!!