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Flowers for Me
by Barbara Hoffman

sitting at the kitchen table
in his retirement house
I faced Daddy asked him why
he deserted me deserted me
his gray eyes blinked

across the teacups, he said
first daughter               perfect
church marriage    perfect
divorce                        disappointment

I sipped my tea
through brittle lips
snapped a cracker in half

a month passed
my sister called
Daddy’s sick lost weight
can only whisper

that Sunday scared
I visited
walked into tenderness
a bouquet of he picked flowers
from the sunny side of the house

I forgot when I left
forgot them left them
in his kitchen
by mistake