Queen of Bethlehem

Pennsylvania, 1941
A week before that Zero bombing run
You came home to a mother's glow
And to a father you'd never know
In this life

Counting dimes, 1953
While the clerk watched at the A&P
The look of shame in your mother's eyes
As she closed her purse and apologized
To no one

In the backseat, 1962
You knew he'd never be the one for you
With his ashtray mouth and fumbling play
You let him have you anyway
For one night

Down and out, 1974
The year the steel price fell right through the floor
You dropped me off outside that middle school
Then took the ring from that drunken fool
And said yes

Home from college, 1981
I stayed upstairs until the fight was done
He backed out over the neighbor's box
You tried to fix it in your robe and socks
All night

Long distance, 1993
You told me God would never forgive me
I said I was sure you'd always known
And heard him breathing on the other phone
While you cried

In '05 the cancer got him good
I drove up on weekends when I could
To stand beside you and make believe
While you wiped his sick mouth with your sleeve
And held on

You sold the old place off in 2012
Told me come on home and help myself
You asked if I could find it in my heart
But I could not see where to start
And said so

It was late last year I got the call
You'd left a box of clothes and that was all
I was driving when I spoke to them
On my way to Bethlehem
PA