FORGOTTEN SYMPATHY


SHE'S ONE OF THE BIG BONED GIRLS
YOU KNOW, THE KIND WHO WEARS HER CLASS RING UNTIL SHE'S THIRTY
THE KIND YOU SEE WORKING IN SOME DEPARTMENT STORE
YOU SEE HER LOOKING SAD AND AWKWARD
AND YOU THINK TO YOURSELF HOW LONELY SHE MUST BE
THEN YOU GO HOME TO YOUR HUSBAND AND CHILD AND ALL IS FORGOTTEN
SHE SEES YOU LOOKING AT HER WITH THAT SPECK OF
SYMPATHY IN YOUR EYE
AND SHE KNOWS YOU FEEL FOR HER EVEN THOUGH YOU HAVE
NO IDEA WHAT SHE'S FEELING
SHE SEES THE WEDDING RING ON YOUR FINGER WHERE HER CLASS RING
SYMBOLLICALLY SITS ON HERS
AND SHE GOES HOME TO AN EMPTY APARTMENT AND WATCHES T.V MAD
THAT SHE LIVES THIS WAY AND MAD THAT YOU, LIKE SO MANY OTHERS
HAVE FORGOTTEN HER
YOU THINK THINGS WILL GET BETTER FOR HER, YOU PONDER ON YOUR
DRIVE HOME
AND AS YOU LAY IN YOUR WARM BED WITH YOUR HUSBAND
SHE IS PAINTING HER NAILS FOR THE THIRD TIME THIS WEEK WATCHING
YET ANOTHER EPISODE OF THE X-FILES
SHE LIKES YOU FOR CARING FOR THAT BRIEF SECOND
SHE DEPISES YOU FOR HAVING EVERYTHING SHE'S EVER WANTED
SHE'S THE OLD LADY YOU SEE SITTING ALONE IN CHURCH
THE ONE, WHO ON MOTHERS DAY, IS THE ONLY ONE LEFT SITTING FOR THE PRAYER
YOU LOOK AT HER SAD WHITHERED FACE AS YOU TRY AND IMAGINE
LIVING YOUR WHOLE LIFE ALONE AS SHE HAS HAD TO DO
AND YOU LOOK OVER AT YOUR HUSBAND AND GROWN CHILD AND YOU REAIZE
YOU CAN'T

Kirsten Garrison