My mother accompanied her father on dates with his mistress.
I picture her watching them toast each other, big
band music playing, his hand on her leg.

For pocket money my mother cleaned
their apartment, emptied scotch glasses, ashtrays,
did she also make their bed?

When she had a house full of kids, my grandfather waltzed
in every blue moon with fresh hot doughnuts in a plain white box. Biting
into that sticky dough, cream oozing, was heaven or love, same thing.

I would forgive him anything for those doughnuts.
Although he did slip his tongue in my sister’s mouth at a party once.
Asshole.
Still… Those doughnuts.

Therese Tiger is an educator and an emerging poet studying with Amy Small-McKinney, 2011 Poet Laureate for Montgomery County. Tiger has also studied with Pushcart nominee, Leonard Gontarek and award-winning writing coach, Julie Ackerman. Tiger’s poetry is informed by her childhood as one of seven daughters and her two young adult daughters.