What I'd Like My Son to Say About Me on His 22nd Birthday

Spring 1992

by Andrew Brian Patrick Murphy's lucky mom

My mother is scared of queen bees

She locked us into the bathroom one day.

She was like, Follow me! Close the door! Quick!

I forgive her.

The time also she hollered obscenities, to make a point

but only the four guys on the street corner were listening.

I forgive her.

The bowl-cut when I was seven, I'm still holding

A grudge. But the time she yelled "Shut up!" over

our heads toward the beer-guzzling sonsofbitches --

There’s a mom I'm glad to know. She brought me

Into this world when she was still a child.

when she was still afraid of the dark and being alone and

(bees!) unknown frights descending on her children.

Every parent wants their kids to go further, be braver than them.

I killed a bug for her two nights ago, and for a hushed moment

I was like a child again,

righting wrongs, forgiving the past.