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On the trail across from Cheryl’s blue house
Frank and Cheryl’s Newcomerstown house
A dog a dog walk with Cheryl
this journal what we said today
“wide berth wide berth” 
I said to Nicky the dog the hound on her leash
the pet propensity to step in horse manure
Nicky on the leash pulled away with a warning
“wide berth wide berth”
and walking along the path to the church
the one with two doors
two doors for two kinds of soul
one surely saved 
the other uncertain
Dawn said one for men the other for women
Cheryl said she remembers being spanked once
very embarrassed about it
and another occasion mom warned she’d be spanked 
if she resisted her hair being curled
so Cheryl didn’t resist
and I said Cheryl you spent you life with your mother best friend
she said 
“It’s lonely I haven’t been shopping or ‘doing’ since she died”
Cheryl asked do you remember mom asked us to choose
choose one or the other and vote
a color television or trip to Disney World
Cheryl said she felt manipulative knowing 
the TV would probably be coming anyway
Cheryl said she misses mom
she’s lonely for mom calling her Cher Lynn
I wish Cheryl would dream it
dream mom saying Cher Lynn
the rapport of her fun-loving voice
Cheryl’s mother friend and life companion.