She Wished She Knew

At the end
Of the day
When all her homework
Was done,
The dishes
Dripping in the dish tray
And the evening's meal
Tucked away in her stomach,
Angie would sit
On the back step
And dream
With open eyes.

To her mammy
And her grand mammy,
She was thinking
About school
Or drinking in
The magic of
Day turning into night.

The truth is
She was dreaming
About her daddy.
A man she never met,
Not that she knew
If she made his acquaintance
Right after birth.
She didn't even know
If he ever tweaked
Her once full cheeks
Or wiped her backside
As she became
Aware of the world.

All she knew was
He was tall,
As she was tall,
Already towering over her mother.

She knew how
He laughed
And how he smiled.
Jr down at the gas station
Told her as much,
Especially when she laughed
And when she smiled.

She knew better
Than to ask Mammy
Or even grand mammy
About her daddy.
A lesson learned
From the broadside
Of ol' George,
The affectionate name
Give to Mammy's belt.

So every evening
As day took itself
To somewhere else
And night would
Come a-visiting,
Angie would sit
On the back stoop
Dreaming with open eyes
Of the father
She wished she knew.