Her First Cigarette


Her First Cigarette

I watched as she lit her first cigarette.

The initial puff.

Then exhaling,

Trying, straining, without resistance,

To be so grown up.

Her first toke,

Her first take,

Her first intake.

"Little daughter" just grew up.

"Nice to have someone to sit, and smoke with."

We are aging,

Aging closer,

Towards each other.

It's when your "comfortably numb,"

You know, you've grown up.

Around the table eye to eye.

Good-bye little girl.


"Help me Father before we die."