Birthday Woman Poem by Mel Sarnese

My day to wear pearls
collect smiles
cut a rose
Happy Birthday to me
says you and you and you
with shiny teeth
and sashed blue boxes
from the big shop on Bloor
I look forward
as I take backward steps
so I may think clearly
the black and white snapshots
That's me with my pa
posing in front of the clothesline
holding me tight as with a pin
Ma was probably behind the window
frying red peppers and onions
The house always smelled like that
when summer was done
and I knew I would one day get old