Faxes Poem by Nancy Terrell

FAXES

Why is it that that offspring,
now grown adults,
regress to being children
when you do something
nice for them?

Gregory wanted a fax machine.
Wouldn't it be neat for Grandma
to receive Lauren's drawings?
I sent him one
and waited for him to call

I didn't hear 'I love it, Mom'
I heard, 'It needs another line, Mom'
Have you read the directions?
Well, no –
I haven't had time.

Written years before e-mail