The face is much like mine
in this photo, yellowed and cracked,
her lines soft, breast ample.
At sixteen, she gazes dreamily at the camera,
her eyes radiate innocence and expectations,
her life in Poland uncertain.
America is her future.
She folds her hands demurely over the skirt
of her printed cotton dress with lace collar.
If only I could whisper into her ear
and tell her what is to come.
I would tell her that she will toil like a mule
on the streets of New York City.
I would tell her of her family of four fine sons
and her three husbands.
I can still hear her heavy shoes clack
across the linoleum of her apartment,
her short round body shifting
back and forth with each step.
She would call to me with an accent
thick as Manischewitz wine,
envelop me with kisses,
tucking a quarter into my palm.
And I would look into that face,
her legacy passed down to me.
Gale Deitch
In Time, is scheduled for publication April, 2011 in the new anthology, “Life In Me Like Grass On Fire” by the Maryland Writer's Association.
M. L. Doyle has served in the U.S. Army at home and abroad for more than two decades as both a soldier and civilian. Mary is the author of The Desert Goddess series, an urban fantasy romp consisting of The Bonding Spell and The Bonding Blade. She has also penned The Master Sergeant Harper mystery series which has earned numerous awards including an IPPY, a Lyra Award and the Carrie McCray Literary Award. Mary is the co-author of two memoirs; A Promise Fulfilled; the story of a Wife and Mother, Soldier and General Officer (Jan. 201) and the memoir, I’m Still Standing: From Captive U.S. Soldier to Free Citizen—My Journey Home (Touchstone, 2010), which was nominated for an NAACP Image award. Mary's work has been published by The Goodman Project, The War Horse, The WWrite Blog and The Wrath-Bearing Tree. Mary retired from her career as an Army Public Affairs officer in 2020, then packed up her two cats and moved back to her home state of Minnesota where she takes tap dancing lessons, serves on the board of several nonprofits and enjoys taking an afternoon nap when she can. You can read excerpts of all of her work on her website at mldoyleauthor.com. Facebook.com/mldoyleauthor, or Bluesky @mldoyle.bsky.social.
