May 2023
Margaret Duda
mduda@ceinetworks.com
Bio Note: As the daughter of Hungarian immigrants, I am extremely fortunate to have lived a bi-lingual, bi-cultural life that often appears in my poetry and short stories. One of my poems won a Pushcart Prize nomination and a short story was on the list of Best American Short Stories. I have also had five non-fiction books published, a play produced, and poems in the Lothlorien Poetry Journal, Muddy River Review, Red Eft Review, etc. I have a book of poetry entitled: "I Come from Immigrants" being published by Kelsay soon.

Trading Places

I call my artist son 
at six in the morning
to read my latest poem,
asking for guidance.

Seeing the caller ID,
he panics, fearing I have
a medical emergency,
and I am sorry I woke him.

I say I will call back at ten,
but he insists I read the poem
so he can get back to sleep 
and his dog can stop whining.

I laugh, apologize and tell him
to mention this mistake
at my memorial service,
sure my teacher son will speak.

He groans, then sighs, laughs,
and tells me to read it already
because he understands 
the excitement of creation.

When we are both satisfied,
he assures his dog all is fine,
mumbles “Love ya, Mom,” hangs up,
and the dial tone hums in my ear.

I envision him falling back to sleep,
an arm around his chocolate lab,
the way he once clasped a tattered bear,
when he needed reassurance.
Originally published in Family by The Poet
©2023 Margaret Duda
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