Mary Angelino
She's sick again,
and when you see bad news on dad's tired face
again, don't be small. Don't be a sad scrap
of lizard caught in the vulture's shadow.
Don't be the almost-always empty lot, asphalt
cracking in the sun, or the abandoned
cart, its loose wheel. Don't be the one who drags
despair, stumbling but loyal, to the top of the hill,
to self-destruction's cul-de-sac. Don't pull yourself
up off the floor. Be the girl who asks for help—
be the scream at every neighbor's door.
Bio
Mary Angelino lives in Santa Clarita, California, where she teaches Creative Writing at College of the Canyons, her community college alma mater. Learn more about her writing life at maryangelino.com.