Joelene

Mama came into my room,

one late morning.

And she said:

“Jo-Jo.

I found something in the washer.”

Then she pulled out a shiny

rubber wrapper.

Saying it wasn’t theirs.

Then asked: you having sex?

I said no,

she said I was lying.

Then she added:

“who’s the boy?”

And I knew I couldn’t tell her

cause the ‘boy’ was currently

downstairs with Papaw,

laughing and chatting like the

big ’ole pal they were.

And I didn’t want Eric

getting into trouble.

In my community,

an offense such as betrayal

meant stoning to death.

He without sin

cast the first stone.

Nobody in Rosemount

should fling not one.

Mr. John across the road

beat his wife,

Mr. Leonard stole Mass Roy’s

cows last month.

None could cast not one stone;

I tell you.

Then Mamaw gave up,

cause she knew I wasn’t ’gon tell her.

So she sat on the bed

in her old house frock and said:

"you’re a big girl; do what you want.

Get up. Eric is leaving."

And I asked:

to where?

The shop?

Downtown?

I got up,

already reaching over

for my shoes.

But Mamaw said:

"no Joelene,

he leaving for his country back.

The war is over."

And lord,

I could feel the knife

I’d often use on him

piercing through my heart.

Just the night before, he’d been under

as I smiled above him.

Our mouths had met,

then he’d ask me after:

"wanna come back home with me after the war?"

At the time he was slipping

his hand under my nightie.

And I said: "yes.

But what would I tell Mamaw?"

He said:

"don’t need to tell her nothing."

And now...he was leaving?

Without telling me the plan?