her chin on strangely outsized hands, a poem

She rests her chin
on outsized hands
longs to grow into them.

These hands may
wield an iron (like her mother)
fix car engines (like her father).

Her shock of thick cropped hair
bears the name Angelina
she of the angels.

A cat rubs orange fur
against her elbow
mice eater.

Luck will bring snakes
not the rattling kind
she is grateful for the cat.

Angel abhors mice
their furry coats
tiny patches of meat.

Beady eyed relatives
reproach the day
she annihilated their kind.

She graduated levels
red, orange, yellow, green
yet round black eyes reproach her.

Hundreds of hungry eyes as
she entered Papa's garage
dragged out a rusty engine.

Released sulfuric acid
from its tank
into their cozy nest.

Great suffering
limp grey bodies and
orange cat ate snake.

Angelina was not angelic
that day
accusing, beady eyes.

She wears the brilliant blue of
a communicator
rests her head on lavender light.

And will move up this year
if she transcends lessons of
the blue throat.

Compassion
for others
and self.

She seeks the light but
struggles to believe much
from this bleak, dark house.

Teachers tweak
her, how is
she an Avatar.

"Ahh." the nest of mice
face what fears her
most.

Transformation
guides sadness
and gloom.

Watch the mice play
snuggle
demonstrate industry.

What's done in anger
originates in fear
watching the mice grows her.

She remembers her acid
foisted upon the mice
she suffers.

Bends over
loses her stomach
she cannot eat.

Mice forgive her ignorance.
But will Angelina forgive herself?
Compassion requires humility.