When I was young,
I heard the worn out
overused promise like this:
Shirley, Goodness, and Mercy
would follow me
all the days of my life.
They have indeed, but at
first they irritated me.
Sometimes I've bumped
smack into them
when I turn around
because they are
following so close.
Sometimes they look
like scary shadows
over my shoulder.
Sometimes they flat-tired
my heels and tripped me up.
But surely, I'd be bereft without
the triage of their consistent,
constant company.
