Allison Joseph         

Do As I Say
Third Prize Poetry Contest 2003

You need a man that wants to settle down:
have kids, a house, two cars, a garden plot.
You need a man that likes to stick around
at home with you at night − not at some spot
that reeks of smoke and beer. You need a man
who cherishes the simple things: the way
you move when you are getting dressed, your hands
and how they soothe his aching back. He'll stay
through school recitals, talent shows and fairs,
through field trips, picnics, making time to eat
with you, no work to cover up affairs,
no stash of condoms and motel receipts.
Don't settle for the kind of life I had.
You need a man who's nothing like your dad.