Immovable

by Cheryl Merrick

Like waves endlessly crashing
upon the stone cliff,
the mother's relentless taunts
selfishly strive to pull her daughter,
and all that she has, out to sea - to her.

The Matriarch,
claiming that she has the "right" to all family resources,
and that it is her children's duty to meet her needs
and enable her to live in her "deserved" affluent lifestyle,
relentlessly pounds upon her daughter
trying to use the love and faith of her daughter
as weapons to enslave her.

Two Voices

by Cheryl Merrick

I am in my teens, I am - well much older
and a daughter. and her mother.
Sometimes I miss being a Sometimes I miss my little girl
child and being taken care of, And taking care of her,
But mainly I want to grow up. But most of the time I wish she’d act more grown up.
I wonder when she will ever     I wonder when she will accept
allow me more freedom? more responsibility?

 What does she expect of me?

She is so frustrating!

Thirty

by Cheryl Merrick

Thirty years ago
on a cold March night
our youngest daughter
hesitatingly
joined our family.

I remember holding her.
Her beautiful dark hair
framing her face
as she blinked and
calmly looked around.

Now, so many years have past.
Years full of joys and struggles,
of sharing her life,
of watching her grow into a
lovely, competent woman
the age I was that March night;
Thirty



3/8/2010

Fatherhood

by Cheryl Merrick

It begins when he first holds
his tiny child in his arms.
No one has ever had such a need
for his protection.

As he teaches and cares for
his little son or daughter,
they both grow.

And slowly, through days of
bike rides, wrestling matches,
working together,