Spoon ignored
Melting ice cream
Slowly fills the bowl with liquid
As the swish and crackle fill the silence
My mother sweeping up the shards
Of my great-grandmother's vase
The tears leak from my eyes
Matching the guilt ripping at my heart
And over them both
Confusion reigns
When I'd gone to find her
Gone to admit my klutziness
I didn't expect
Her to take me in her arms
Stroke my face, sit me at the table
Hand me a bowl of Rocky Road
And kneel to clean up
The pieces of her favorite heirloom
Without a word of reproach
The ice cream covers me
In despondent shame
Her forgiveness more weighty
Than any punishment she ever gave
So I sat and watched
As a hard scoop turned soft
Love-filled eyes met mine
Silently asking if I am okay
I picked up the spoon.
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