you all know bemelmans’ madeline
(“twelve little girls in two straight lines”)
my granddaughter five read reread
reread it the morning she got it
in the afternoon she complained of
belly ache it’s an appendix how sweet
said the adults how she has internalized
the story at supper she complained of
worse belly ache at 10 pm she still
complained they took her to the doctor
she was rushed to milwaukee by
ambulance had her appendix out
2019 Jacqueline Jackson
This article appears in Sep 12-18, 2019.
