For years
They commented on
her flirtatiousness
her bawdy humour
her inappropriate comments
and she laughed
(loudly)
and said, “This is just
how I was raised.”
.
They thought, she’s low class,
but she’s family now.
We’re not snobs. We can adapt.
So they tried to lift her up,
believe the best,
cheer her successes,
while they ignored the
alienation she fostered
against the father of her children
after all, (theoretically)
she raised them
in faith
and piously spouted the right words
(even if her actions didn’t always match).
.
“I’m a good person!”
she exclaimed angrily,
if someone noticed
an anomaly
between what she said and did.
They knew who she wanted to be.
Bad comes with the good.
We all have many layers.
Depth adds character.
She means well.
(most of the time).
.
Now she shouts
Don’t tell the children!
(grown adults with their own lives)
how she’s carrying on.
So desperate to prove
(to who?)
that she’s desirable
She’s sleeping with anyone
who blinks at her.
Throwing money at a con man
and sending it Western Union
(which is, of course, untraceable)
Thousands and thousands
of dollars
she can’t afford to lose
sent into traitorous hands.
And then she gets it back
by conning someone else.
Tricky girl.
.
Don’t tell the children?
Seriously?
Don’t you think they know
that she’s a disgrace
to everything she told them
that she was?
and what she told them to be?
Everything she denied she was
is revealing itself.
.
Meanwhile
that poor man
still weeps in love for her
and she screams that
he’s what’s been
holding her back
and driving her to
this scandalous behavior
.
His fault?
Honey,
wake up.
He’s the rock of stability
that has saved you from
ruining yourself
this way
long ago.
Shawn L. Bird 