Parent’s Warnings

It has been a long time since
I heard your warnings
stern, tempered with love,
speaking our whole names –

"Be careful!" or
"You know better than that!" or
"Remember, you are the sister of
whatever you call your brother," or
"Use your head for more
than a block to hold your ears apart!"

At dinner it was Dad
"eat for the hunger to come."
I told someone about that once.
They found it ominous. 
We knew you meant
you didn't want to say
"Get your head out of that refrigerator.
You just finished eating!"

Wrestling boys soon heard,
"If you are going to fight,
take it outdoors!"

"I'm bored," would bring
"I'll find you something to do."
When you did, it was
"...now, not next week!"
Come we did to do as you bid
and we knew to do it well
as did you
with every task you drew.





10-10-04