Poems by Theresa Ilardi

THE MOON SEES ME

Back of a Ford, nothing to eat but PB & J. Pop’s out of work. Mom’s too tired to even fight. My three sisters are asleep. The motor keeps me awake. The moon shines through the window like a diamond. Pop says the moon follows you everywhere— God’s way of keeping you safe. To this day, I always see the moon with special eyes, ’cause the moon is mine.

My father was an abrasive SOB and kept us on the road for years. I have little fondness for him, but one day as I fell asleep in the back of the Ford, I looked out the window. The moon was bright. And he said, “Honey, it follows you, ’cause you’re special.”

To this day, whenever I look at the moon, I feel special.

Theresa Ilardi

THE CHAMELEON

I escaped like a chameleon from sobriety and fell further and further into darkness.

I can fool her, him, and you but all eyes see me and I have to live with my eyes and me.

I picked the eye, trying to fool everyone and often I do. But all see, and mostly me. I know when I drink, and I see.

Theresa Ilardi