17/30 Kvell

when they found their bodies outside of mine

took their first breaths

announced their arrivals

my silent prayers of peace and whole

became prophecies to be fulfilled

they own their faces and choices

their successes make me proud to be home

away from home

the miles don’t matter

when love is the map

the way we find our way back

they call and my face is beacon

is reminded I am alive and live on

in multiple locations and shapes

and eyes

they will never not be mine

never really away from my

my locket hearts holds their faces

holds their love lifts their voices

every time I open my mouth

13/30 Tonsorial

when you are a single mother

with boys

that have hair

they refuse to comb

and school starts soon

and there are stores that sell clippers

so you buy them

the barber shop is too expensive

three visits pays for the clippers

and then

there is more money

for the clothes they are outgrowing

for the shoes that always need replacing

for the meals missing mid-day in summer

this practical single mother knows

she has no skills at cutting hair

but how hard can it be

she has seen hair cut

her sons are not eager to be

experimental performance

no one wants to go first

the youngest loses the fight

because

youngest

he sits not as calm as he pretends

there is a soft buzz

an ouch

a retort of

damn your ears are big

a little blood

then an

oops

the older brother slaps his hand

across his lips

to stuff back the explicative

that will get his ass beat

while the sisters laugh

the younger brother advances on

the mirror

mouth stretched in a scream

that won’t come

a tear falls

the mother is upset

she didn’t do it on purpose

she apologizes to the crying boy

who now has to have it

all

cut

off

a trim turned bald

the older brother declares

he wants to grow the biggest

afro in the world

ever

while the younger develops

an interest

in hats