10. Raised By Wolves

Raised By Wolves
My mother found fault with my father
My grandparents slept in twin beds
And I would slip under the table at supper
At home in a forest of legs

My cousins were raised up by strangers
My brother could jimmy the lock
And I would sit under the lilacs
Dismembering dolls that I made out of hollyhocks

My grandpa was famous for nothing
My step brother knew the DuPonts
And I dug a hole in the meadow to hide
What I found behind Romeo’s Restaurant

But I knew all along
You were out there and I remember
Listening for your distant song
What do you remember?

My aunt left her title in Reno
My uncle was always alone
And I would sneak out after sundown
Disguised in a crown that I built out of bones

My sister kept track of transgressions
My step sister bullied the cops
And I was alone when the telephone rang
And there was no way to make it stop

But I knew all along
You were out there and I remember
Listening for your distant song
What do you remember?

My mother found fault with my father
My grandparents slept in twin beds
And I would hide under my quilt with a flashlight
Write poetry over their heads
Over their heads