Challenging Poetry

one birthday afternoon

I will always appreciate
the stranger, who seeing
my tears as I stood
choosing a card (I wanted a funny
one, but all my choices were too
sweet) for my father's
birthday on my birthday (I
was nineteen and far from home)
offered a tissue, a kind word,
a birthday wish, and help
finding a perfect sentiment
so I could go away
with dry eyes again.

April 22— Serio-comic dilemma