Hazel, Rosie, Princess Mary...

HAZEL, ROSIE, PRINCESS MARY

blew into my world when I was seven.

I remember them still...

Home from school...early

(Hazel was coming, they said)

Whooooshing

Howwwwwwwwwwling

Daylight dark

I remember the wonder, the awe, the power

of Miss Hazel, outside...

and Daddy and Mommy and Evie, baby Pat, me

all safe inside...

and when the yellow sky came, and the eerie quiet,

Daddy sitting in the truck

in our front yard

listening to the radio...

Rosie was born that October day

--before or after Mommy fed Pat

by the light of my First Communion candle?-

I don't remember--

but I remember that Rosie

(Mommy made her for me)

was beautiful

and I loved her...

Showed Rosie off to my best friend...

Embarrassed Mommy (all these years, I never knew)...

Mary came into my world that Christmas,

Ideal's princess,

and I loved her too!

Sad, sad Rosie,

discarded childhood treasure

cremated

(cleaning up the past, moving on, they said...)

and Hazel's memory

overwritten

by the Donnas and Hugos of my life...

But Mary, my princess,

smiles down at me from her basket throne...

and I love her still...