When we Lived on Nelson Ave.
PD Lyons
days when my father took milk and sugar
leaving the spoon in his coffee
my mother whistled among lilacs and roses
mahogany furniture kept well polished
special knives and forks only used on holidays
I knew the name of Lilly of the valley
not to ever put them in your mouth
there were kittens in the sun porch
we watched born from a tabby cat named Felix
there were cherries from our backyard tree
so red I thought they were black,
tasting like no cherries
ever would again
The Girl Next Door
By PD Lyons
When I remember
Third floor windows
Tall white lace sails
Summer all running in our veins
Her mother in the kitchen
Making cool aid and plate full of something
Cookie sweet to eat
She wanted me to stay
I was afraid, wanted to go home
But didn’t want her to know
Not wanting to be in this house of too many windows
Overlooking the valley
But she wanted me to stay
Besides the rains begun
Going to be a real storm
Already rumblings a darkening horizon
her mother agreed
I’ll call your parents. They won’t be worried.
You can stay for supper. You like hot dogs don’t you?
that was how I learned not to be afraid of storms
Not to hide from thunder or lightning
Frances and her mother, exuberant
Ohs ahs joy over every
Menacing vibration sudden crash
Every flash veining skeletal zigzag
