I still remember the roaches crawling
across my face at night. I got used to them
but my younger siblings never did.
It seemed we matured quickly
as if to hurry past it all
mom buying our school clothes at Salvation Army,
never getting the chance to experience
latest fashions we couldn't afford
moving from house to house as my alcoholic father
moved from job to job. We were always
‘the poor kids' to other kids.
Poor mom, it broke her heart knowing
she was powerless to give us anything more than
what we needed, and sometimes
not even that.
We're all adults now; healthy, well adjusted,
with our own families, doing just fine, rolling in clover
you might say, compared to then.
Bronze trophy winner
Adding your comment:
Your first line almost made me gag. I am so very fearful of "roaches", and for sure have had youthful encounters with them. I am most grateful that my adult life has afforded me NOT to have to live with the little pests. Whew! Ain't WE lucky. LOL
