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    Home › Article › A Parent’s Shame

    A Parent’s Shame

    by Jessica Whipple
    2022 Summer
    Credit: Wikicommons user Viktoria Borodinova
    June 22, 2022

    She grips a chunk of chalk in her fist
    scratches onto black construction paper
    familiar fury of scribbles:
    a moon today
    yesterday, an egg 
    someone’s head
    side by side, two are apples. 

    Sometimes
    the picture isn’t the point
    it’s powder on palms
    wows and ooohs and beautifuls
    fingers and focus and finishing
    it’s preschool pride
    it’s fine-motor joy

    neither of us realizing
    she’s tall enough now
    to see into the garbage can:
    crumpled paper
    soggy moon
    coffee grounds 

    tomato sauce

    my apologies flow from the faucet
    my shame hangs on the fridge

    Categories: Culture PQ Poem
    Tags:
    Jessica Whipple

    Jessica Whipple is a writer for adults and children. Her poetry has been published by One Art, Sledgehammer Lit, Nurture, and Ember; another is forthcoming in Ekstasis. Her debut picture book titled ENOUGH will be published in Fall 2022 by Tilbury House. Jessica has always enjoyed writing and reading poetry. To read more of her work, visit www.AuthorJessicaWhipple.com or follow her on Twitter @JessicaWhippl17.

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