A Moment Between Sisters
Naomi Tercero
You suspected you found anger in the hinge of the microwave.
The same way I’ve learned to find anger
in slight changes. I watched you retreat
when you knew you were correct.
It’s the same way I avoid anything too
familiar. Too
much like mom, too
much like dad.
I think I’ve taken on a few too
many of their mannerisms over time, including their anger.
On the hardwood of the kitchen floor you await the signal for safety.
A sign,
a sigh,
a que
for you to move in.
Fear is etched into your face,
Of anger, of reprimand.
And it breaks me.
I have spent the last year trying to unlearn everything. And I wish I could tell you how to do the same. To save you the pain of seeing our parents as people for the first time. But I can’t. I still have a long way to go. And you’re still
just a kid.
Tags: familyFree Versegrowing painsPoemSisters