Is HOODA HELAMI Being Autobiographical ... ???

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My mother hated all men

especially my father

with his Ph. D

in absenteeism

However, 

there was always 

one exception

I would first be reminded

how much he resembled

the wedding night

version

of my father

For exactly one month,

she rhapsodized the virtues

of the exception

in such a way

as to resurrect

her Poetry Degree

from the Sorbonne

That cremated remains

of that Degree

were in an urn

on the mantle

above the fireplace

we used for storing

extra rolls 

of toilet paper

 

Exactly one month later,

the name of the exception 

changed

but not the rhapsody

 

My favorite month

was December

because the exception

was informed

that a certain child

was allergic

to receiving

less than ten

Christmas gifts

and must include

a Schwinn bicycle

 ***

 

© HOODA HELAMI ©

Alter Ego #142857 

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