The Polish Gutter Drunk, Anna and St. Mary’s, 1917

By Eileen Wiard

Anna married the gutter drunk and birthed 

his seven kids, four boys, three girls. She dragged

them out of bed Sundays 

for St. Mary’s 9 o’clock Mass traipsed

down the middle aisle both

incense and candles burned sharp the choir

loft soprano screeched 

Father Walter’s yell from the wooden pulpit Anna hurried

the kids into the pew before the gospel began when

it still counted everything

in Latin except the Polish sermon a little

taste of the old country Anna stood and sat and

knelt prayed the rosary mouthed one 

Hail Mary after 

another fingered one bead to the next dared

not complain to Mary when for whiskey 

and money, the gutter drunk sold one daughter. 

I got you over here, didn’t I?

Crying out loud Shut your mouth Shut them all up

I need a decent night’s sleep for crying out loud

Anna knelt, sat, stood, swayed

and prayed the rosary,

The Sorrowful Mysteries.