nellie

your grandmother
who smoked
three packs of lucky
strikes a day
and gargled with
bourbon when
she wasn't feeling
right stood
square at about
four foot eleven.
she carried her
shih Tzu under her
arm everywhere
she went. she said
things like
excuse my French
when describing a
cab that drove
like a bat out hell
from penn station.
she had a fox stole
with the head still
on, eyes beaded
black, and mouth
open to show
the needle sharp
teeth, still ready
to bite. she liked
to wear it for
special occasions,
like dinner out.
she told you and
your sisters to come
over to the television
when billy graham
was on, and kneel
by the screen putting
your hands onto
the black and white
curved glass.
do it she'd say,
repent of your sins
and accept Jesus
into you life, or all
of you are going
to burn in hell.
we were only seven and
couldn't imagine what
sins we'd have committed
at this point
in our lives to be
punished in such a
way. but we did as
we were told,
and sometimes a few
of us still do.