Lady in the Snow
I turn the porch light on at 4 a.m.
to see if a miracle’s occurred
and the paper's landed somewhere
in the snow blanketing our lawn.
Instead I see a clump on the mat
a one-eyed cat dazed by the cold
looking at me as if to say
“Are you the guy I saw
a week ago before I ran?"
Every morning now I feed
two feral toms at our back door
but never a cat at our front door.
My wife might say okay
once she knows this cat's
a lady in big trouble.
When I open the door
the cat runs across the street
turns around, sits on the curb
looks at me and says, “Listen, Mister,
I’m cold and hungry but we just met.
One quick peek is all you get.”
Mrs. O’Malley
Mrs. O’Malley
from across the alley
has another small job
for my father to do
which makes my mother
unhappy because
Mrs. O’Malley’s been
bothering Father for years,
parading around in shorts
and halter top, watering
flowers in her yard
when Father goes out
to cut the grass and weed.
Neighbor ladies have
warned my mother
about Mrs. O’Malley
from across the alley
because too many husbands
have too often helped
Mrs. O’Malley too well.
Dr. Sander’s Wife
is a woman of means
who dresses down
when she visits
food pantries
as do her neighbors.
They take surplus in
every few weeks.
At the end of the year
they claim a tax exemption.
A neighbor told her
how to do it while
staying out of dark
and murky places.
Together they drive
cans and bottles to
their suburban pantries
run by nice people who
serve the frail elderly or
those laid off
and looking for food
to maintain a lifestyle
and pay their mortgage
while finding a job.
Dr. Sander’s wife would
never drive into the city
and help the destitute.
Why go into harm’s way
just to be free of clutter
and pick up a little
tax exemption.
Donal Mahoney lives in St. Louis, Missouri.
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