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2013-06-26T21:51:30-07:00June 26th, 2013|Parenthood|

For God’s sake

We are playing on your bed
and you turn to me
with a big smile and say

let’s play Jack and Jill
for God’s sake

and I know right away
where you learned it
because I can imagine her voice
half-laughing
half-exasperated
as you run around her apartment
a wake of crackers
and antique toys behind you

which is not at all like the time
a few weeks ago
when I asked you to brush your teeth
and you said

one option is for me
to have a cookie instead

and I laughed
even though I was dog-tired
but for days I couldn’t think
where you had learned that one
until it came out of my mouth
like a robot
like a line from a book
that surrendered language of mothers
I prayed I would never use.

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