Dior

When she picked up the NY Times,
mother made a comment:

Good for you.

Mother was a mean bear.

When sister was nine, mother pulled her hair
to the ground because she couldn’t spell a word right.

Sister was like a stunk fish
when her face, bangs-first, hit the floor.

My god, that woman could make a weapon
out of anything:

tylenol bottles, a Cheerio box,

a few strands of black
in the thick of her paw.