Shawn L. Bird

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.