…….And he took her, and lay with her, and humbled her. (Genesis 34:2)
daddy knew right away
sat me down and said
is this a good boy
it hurt to sit
i am thirteen
i am crying
am i crying
if i start
i can’t stop
daddy said
they’re good people
momma put on her hat
followed him out
good people
we are
………..my best friend home
………..sick that day
………..i walked the short cut
………………..it was a new dress
………………..pretty as a picture too
………………..much pink in the trees
momma says
i’m getting married
i can’t go to school
for the baby i gotta
rework some old things
stitch up some new things
the small white socks
i make with one
long thread
………………..my brothers are angry
………………..at him comin
………………..to sunday dinner
………………..daddy won’t
………………..let them get
………………..a word in
………..someone don’t
………..come home
………..that night
Millie Tullis is an MFA poetry candidate at George Mason University. Her work has been published or is forthcoming in Sugar House Review, Rock & Sling, Cimarron Review, Ninth Letter, Juked, and elsewhere. She serves as the Assistant Editor for Best of the Net and Poetry Editor and Social Media Manager for Phoebe. She also reads for Poetry Daily. You can find her on twitter @millie_tullis.