Telling Eileen
Her hand was sweetly soft
marshmallow candy in mine
I dared not squeeze too tightly
(dappled brown braids)
Standing under the tamarisk tree
I squinted
and said
“My dad died”
“I know”
oh
everything sticky and messy
sweet marshmallow candy
bare feet on concrete
drive
soft and hard
soft and hard
her soft brown braids
my hard-plaited blond
the sun melting
everything away