But the longing for other places keeps her awake

words and image by Lisa Murphy-Lamb

But the longing for other places keeps her awake

Instead

of slipping serenely into the tenderness and refuge

family life offered

she was restless.

His thoughtful goodnight kiss, the

way he brushed

crumbs from each fingertip,

his socks left

each night balled carefully beside the bed-

lost

to the dogged, whispering murmur-

a ceaseless entreaty that robbed her

the pleasure

of bathing each pink toe on the left

foot of her youngest,

long walks each Sunday afternoon and receiving

a cup of tea while balancing what

he earns

and collectively what they spend.

She saw a different life

where crumbs fell freely and kisses

given

were unexpected, public, deep

and often.

Where tea grew native.

This image-this murmuring entreaty,

she worried,

would tire of calling her and

would

fade away

leaving her

only the call of the

tea kettle.