Fair Deal

by Richard Hartwell       

In turn, by age, eldest to youngest,
four drew from a new- broken deck
fanned face down on the dining table.

King of Diamonds.
Fitting for the eldest son:
stockbroker by trade;
self-made overachiever;
family’s financier;
household of five;
Harvard Summa.

Seven of Clubs.        
Fitting for the middle son:
mid-level executive,
telephone company;
outdoorsman;
household of five;
Dartmouth Laude.

Knave of Spades.
Fitting for the youngest son:
chain-store vice-president;
always upwardly mobile;
family man of sorts;
household of six;
Harvard Magna.

Deuce of Hearts.
Fitting for the only daughter:
no expectations only failures;
‘women’s retail sports-wear’
sounded better than counter-girl;
counting me, a household of two;
high school diploma.

While watched surreptitiously,
high card chose first and then,
one by one, grandmother’s life
divvied up by her loving children,
with calls, raises and greedy trades.

Silently crying, so not to be heard,
I called dibs on my memories . . . and won.