JAMIE SUE AUSTIN

you came on strong recommendation
a shared misery or two
that should have
made for a solid bond
and left
like a gypsy after the con
like your father yours now
another man’s child to raise
and anger hot
and red growing inside me
and stole the black boots I wore
your disinterest painful
and his little eyes stare up at me
more of me but part a stranger
he is better off with us
without you and your father’s legacy
we’ll weed out the gypsy blood
and seed honor in its place
but I hurt for him
to think
that like a fugitive
you ran from him
so small and tender
and stole from him his heritage