Duane L. Herrmann writes

BABY BONDING

I talked to her –    
wide eyed  
she listened,  
our mother couldn’t bother,  
while I held her bottle:  
my first job, at two.
Later, she was the one  
to play with:  
a companion  
at last.
When brothers came  
we both worked –
a team. 
I was taller  
to reach stove knobs  
we had to cook,  
mother  
was “too busy.”
Competition too:  
washing dishes alternating weeks:
I would NOT wash hers,  
she would NOT wash mine:  
we understood being fair –
Our mother didn’t.
Submissive, we survived  
but in the world –   
lacked defenses.