The Minnow

My shattered heart longs

to comfort

Cara and Christopher,

sit them down

explain all the leaving

so they

can hurt less

but I don’t understand it

myself

and can’t seem to stop

feeling so helpless.

One clear Saturday afternoon

Mom is off Jazzercising;

eleven-year-old Cara

lies on her bed, light

streaming through her window.

I walk in and quietly say, “Hey.”

She turns, pleading with

shipwreck-eyes. I

run to give her a hug attack,

and we both start crying.

Soon Chris drifts by

in Spider-Man pajamas

nothing needs to be said,

we shift on the bed.

Make room for him

in our life raft embrace.

The character Strawberry Shortcake waters a plant. She wears a knee-length long-sleeve dress, tied shoes, and a poofy hat reminiscent of a strawberry. A dog with a spot around its right eye and floppy ears plays with two butterflies behind her.

The sunbeam’s fingers

stroke our hair, Strawberry Shortcake

watches from Cara’s pillowcase,

and we stay

sobbing         bobbing

sobbing         bobbing

for a long time.

But it isn’t enough

we are

lost.