The Red-Haired Kid
By Elton Camp
His mother, John continued to deride
“Son, there’s no red hair on either side.
I knew that wife would be a big mistake
And that she would bring you heartache.”
Such comments John tried to push aside
It’d been two years since he took a bride
In that time, no reason had he ever found
To think that his wife was sleeping around
But his mother had planted a suspicious seed
And to see a red-haired man was all he’d need
For him to watch the movements of their eyes
To see if his wife the man seemed to recognize
Of recessive genes, John had not a single clue
Of how to stay hidden they so often will do
When the two genes show up in the same child
The ignorant may feel justified to smirk & smile
By Edmund Siejka
My wife is downstairs
Reading a book
While I lie in bed
With the night light on
She waits for silence
Before tiptoeing upstairs
To turn off the lights.
Tonight I am restless
Getting up
I open the blinds
Ever so slightly
Across the way
Soft street lights
Throw a peaceful arc
Illuminating
Only what is in its path
In the night
I stare into darkness
And think of my wife.
Everyone has secrets
What dreams
Did she leave behind
On her journey as wife
Mother
Cook
Nurse
Chef and
Peace maker?
We have been married
Thirty one years
Experienced love
Told white lies
Had children
Paid bills
Had good times
And bad times
Felt fear and tenderness
Been busy
Lived through boredom
And
Forgave and forgot.
I see her
Sitting downstairs
Like a Princess
Descended from ancient royalty
Book in her lap
Deep in thought
Hearing the floorboards creak
Above her
She knows it's me
Shuffling around
Keeping her place
On the paragraph just finished
She sits still
Waiting for me to fall asleep
Then tiptoeing upstairs
She will turn off the lights.
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