Empty Chair: a Pantoum By Meriah Murphy
Mommy can see me wearing her pearls
Her look of disapproval scares me
But when she laughs along with me
Everything is okay
Her look of disapproval scares me
My feet work their way out of her party shoes
Everything is okay
I run to sit with her in her favorite chair
My feet work their way out of her party shoes
I wait for her smile
I run to sit with her in her favorite chair
Just like yesterday when we watched it snow out the window
I wait for her smile
Her awkward breath is distracting
Just like yesterday when we watched it snow out the window
I look down at my raw fingernails
Her awkward breath is distracting
I cannot cry again
I look down at my raw fingernails
Where is Mommy?
I cannot cry again
The chair is empty next to me
Where is Mommy?
I know she is here even when she is not
The chair is empty next to me
But when she laughs along with me
I know she is here even when she is not
Mommy can see me wearing her pearls
