Deserve

She had brought up her child, loved and nurtured her

Taught her how to ride a bicycle, how to read and swim

She in her most desperate nights, hands and flannels drenched in icy water healed fevers,

sung prayers, cleaned vomit, kissed a troubled little hot forehead to sleep

She left heart shaped notes on doors and candy on the bed and wrote “mummy loves you”

She measured the years untangling hair and plastering knee cuts and buying larger school uniforms

She in a crowded bus eyes a man filled with affection and lust brood and hover adoringly over his woman

Her heart weeps, I too deserve this.