Mama Sleeps with Windows Open in America
Shahé Mankerian
Not because she wants to aerate the smell of charred
eggplants, not because she craves the permeating scent
of jasmines from the churchyard, not because she misses
the migrating mimicry of wild parrots as she reads the bible,
not because sirens from a distant freeway make her mind
wander about her prodigal sons, and not because she desires
to ran away with the neighbor’s husband who looks like
Clark Gable, no, none of that. Mama sleeps with open
windows because all cities hide vengeful men, because evil
finds crevices underneath parked cars to plant ticking bombs.
eggplants, not because she craves the permeating scent
of jasmines from the churchyard, not because she misses
the migrating mimicry of wild parrots as she reads the bible,
not because sirens from a distant freeway make her mind
wander about her prodigal sons, and not because she desires
to ran away with the neighbor’s husband who looks like
Clark Gable, no, none of that. Mama sleeps with open
windows because all cities hide vengeful men, because evil
finds crevices underneath parked cars to plant ticking bombs.
Poet Shahé Mankerian is the principal of St. Gregory Hovsepian School. He was born in Beirut, Lebanon to an Armenian family. As an immigrant, he resides in Pasadena, California. He is on the board of International Armenian Literary Alliance (IALA). His inaugural poetry collection, History of Forgetfulness, was published by the Fly on the Wall Press in October of 2021.
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