Shopping Trip Poem by Patti Masterman

Bright colors and words swirling round us;
Mother and me, passing like a slow parade.
She, veering left, while I floated on by
Like a small, fascinated child.
Then noticing, she was missing,
Returning to the greeting card display
Heartfelt, hand-illustrated,
Wonderfully crisp and white-
Just in time, to catch a tear
Half-strangled sob.
I was clueless that day
I patted her arm and led her
Out of that aisle
Since it made her unhappy,
Somehow, being there
From that day forward,
I felt myself to be the parent.