Who Does She Love and Why?

Herself first, of course

then the father, long lived, now gone

Picasso and Frida and James Dean

and the mother who left her time and again

The grandfather, not blood-kin

but always her steady ship on troubled seas

and the grandmother who held her and sang

The stepmother who tried

who only beat her once

then showed her love

the way she knew best

by teaching her to cook and clean

and can vegetables from the garden

and how to be a grownup woman

Who does she love and why?

The granddaughter who shares

her love of dancers

the man who thinks her beautiful

the son who means well

but sometimes disappoints

the only one she has left

so is easily forgiven