You Have a Girl (Guest Post by Linda Langlois)

As many of you know I  have featured writers from my local group each week. This weekend  I have the honor and pleasure of sharing a poem from the leader of our group, Linda Langlois.

I know you will enjoy this poignant offering…

You have a Girl,

so when Mother Nature

begins to weave her ways

and the earth tilts back on her axis

and life rewinds

and reverses itself,

you start nosy-ing around

in her bureau drawers and closet

for something to wear, because

lately, you’re thinking your own clothes make you look dumpy,

and old.

You have a Girl,

so when April’s rain keeps falling,

damp and incessantly

and it’s another Sunday afternoon

with the husband holed-up in his cave

watching the ball game du jour

and the Girl is away at college,

you take her prom dresses,

one by one

from each  brightly-colored hanger

and you add the shoes

and Tiffany’s

from her locked jewelry box,

and you saunter down the stairs,

and the husband says, “what? now?

It’s isn’t even half-time,” when

that wasn’t what it was about at all.

You have a girl

to stay one step ahead

and you can do it

if you keep your mouth shut

and pay attention.

After all, you knew her first;

you know her best.

But she knows you too.

And she’ll call you on it:

“What,” she’ll ask.

“Nothing,” you say,

wishing she’d leave you alone.

You have a Girl,

who, then, keeps prodding,

asking, “are you angry with me”?

‘cause she wants a fight,

and you won’t win;

you have no idea

what it’s all about.

You have a Girl,

who’ll go sledding with you,

when you’re both meant to be

working at the new house;

while the husband’s home,

working on the old house,

readying it to sell.

But neither of you wants to move.

She grew up in that house,

and you had your baby there,

after living alone for too many years.

You have a Girl,

who’s willing to take a

chance and you need her there

beside you,

though she’s still just a child.

A new house means warm

winters, Ma, she says,

think about that.

And you do.

You have a Girl,

so when her friends,

who grew up at your table,

begin to marry and have their

babies, you get to cry at their

weddings, and think how they

still look like schoolgirls in

big trouble while rocking

their babies on your porch.

You have a girl, 

to see you in her eyes

to hear him in her voice

to guide for a short sweet while

this incredible child

morphed from out your dreams

and when she leaves

as she’s needs to do,

she’ll take her courage

from him

and her heart from you.

©Linda Langlois

Linda Langlois is the Writing Instructor, a/k/a Fearless Leader, for the Neighborhood Guild Creative Writer’s Group in Wakefield, RI.  Currently working towards an MS in English from URI, her work has been published in newspapers and periodicals. Her play about French author, Colette, was chosen to be performed at the New England Women’s Council in 1983. Linda still thrills at having watched her characters come alive on stage. Linda enjoys leading small groups, editing up-and-coming authors and hanging out with her hubby, daughter and fur-kids. She is also known to have a love for fast cars. Shhh!

To read one of my adventures with Linda, Click HERE

If you want to experience our group reading some of our most recent work, comehang out with us! We will be reading on the deck of Java Madness tomorrow Sunday, June 14 @3 PM! Join us?

You can still buy our BOOK!