barely 5 am    barely five years old    two brothers    one bed    i sit up
big brother  warns me   daddy worked last night    be quiet    but i smell
bacon    do i dare?    bare feet on wooden floor tiptoe    past daddy’s
door    loud snoring    old floor squeaks    freeze    don’t wake the
angry bear

 

morning sun thru lace curtains    glass vases  line window sills   bright
green houseplants    fragrant gardenias    curly vines reach the floor
AM radio plays church songs

 

peek around the corner   momma cooking for five    humming church
songs   tiptoe    floor squeaks again    freeze   momma turns    happy
blue eyes    hug her knees    tight sit on kitchen    table black iron skillet
crackles

 

momma starts singing    “Amazing Grace”    “I Surrender All”    i tuck my
hands between my knees     now we sing together    “How Great Thou
Art”    Sunday morning     homer street