5:30 in the morning
beside myself
belly twisting
nothing seeming right
i revert to my childhood
the sure morning routine
of my stepfather
turn on the radio atop the refrigerator
700 WLW no other station will do
make a pot of coffee
whisk the batter in a yellow plastic bowl
and fry pancakes
as aunt jemima stands by the stove
with a syrupy look in her eyes
and i think he does not know
how many times
this ritual saved my life