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When my daughter Ellen came along, she being the youngest of four, all the parts were taken except "negative." She and I had a standoff relationship right from the start. When it looked like Billie and I might separate, she let us both know that she wanted only me as her daddy, and we became closer than we'd ever been before. Also during this period another interesting thing happened having to do with my mother and I. As a young woman she'd been involved in a notorious affair that was the talk of the town, and I'd never forgiven her for doing this to my father. At long last the righteous child understood, and more than that, began to realize how much alike mother and son really are.
SPITTING IMAGE
there have been two creatures
on this earth
I could never get the best of
my dog
and my mother
whenever
I would catch either one of them
up to no good
chewing a shoe
or sneaking through a drawer
one would become deathly ill
the other
pee on the floor
the dog is gone now
piddling around out there
beyond my kick
and frustrated shout
and feeling a sudden chill today
I pulled on a sweater
and at the sleeve
guess whose hand came out
shaking a thermometer |
