Hope Doesn't Mean Anything. ... Action's The

A Thousand Times Today I've Started To Open My Mouth, Started To Squeak Out, "can You Tell Me...? But Then I'd Look Into The Front Seat, At My Mother's Silent Shaking, My Father's Grim Profile, The Mournful Bags Under His Eyes, And All The Questions I Might Ask Seemed Abusive. Assault And Battery, A Question Mark Used Like A Club. My Parents Are Old And Fragile. I'd Have To Heartless To Want To Hurt Them.

I Like Playing Around With The Words; I Love It When I Feel Like I've Picked The Exact Right Word To Describe Whatever It Is I'm Trying To Describe

Oh, Myr," He Chokes Out. "i Hate Having To Ask This Of You..." He Glances Towards The Car Again, And I Crouch Down In The Shadows, Hoping It's Too Dark For Him To See Whether The Window Is Open Or Closed. The Woman Pats His Arm, Cradling Her Hand Against His Elbow. "you Know I'd Do Anything For You And Hil," She Says. I Like Her Voice. It's Throaty And Rich. "you'd Do Anything?" My Father Repeats Numbly. "even Now? After -?" "even Now," The Woman Says Firmly.

Amazing, Yetta Thought. Back Home I Couldn't Have Chosen My Own Husband. And Here I'm Thinking About Choosing Presidents, Governors, Mayors, Laws.

Governments Will Rise, And Governments Will Fall, And Man Will Do Evil To Man, And All We Can Do Is Turn Our Hearts To Good.