31 Poems in 31 Days - Something Given Away in Childhood - Poem 1. What Sister Did

31 Poems in 31 days

What Sister Did 

They called him 
to her classroom
big sister blaming
kid brother, salving
her embarrassment 
salvaging favor with
her favorite teacher 
who wore chopsticks 
black and red enamel
chopsticks in her hair
So "bohemian" cool -
Who knew?  Not she
that they would call him
to her classroom and 
he, bright eyed dimpled
second grader, hair 
parted neatly as a knife 
cut, or a sister's lie, would
stand and accept her
shame as his, smiling 
in front of all those fifth -
graders and that frowning 
teacher with Chinese forks
forgotten in her hair hissing
something about a dirty comb
he left in Sister's book bag 
They called him to her
classroom by mistake -
his comb was in his pocket,
but his sister stared in silent 
imploration - tears standing
on her lashes - ready to fall - 
he did not tell - repeated as
directed, that he was a "dirty 
little boy" though he wasn't  - 
and before he left smiled at
his sister - sure she would 
explain it all later - cause that's 
what Sister did 


~
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