The Small Lady

there’s the small lady
who only likes small books
“overviews, I’m looking for overviews
of the roaring 20s, short ones.”

says they’re for her kids,
she’s a homeschooling mom
you know the type?
she likes to review
I mean censor
what her child’s eyes
see
or don’t see

we all get a little
antsy when she
floats in the door
blond hair a bush of curls
she’s named after her
mother’s favorite country-singer
Loretta Lynn
the small lady
who only likes small books
“this is the diary of anne frank? so she wrote this?
all of it? you see I thought
it was going to be a tiny little book”