THE OPERATION
By Cathryn M. Lai

I walked in the kitchen
Back from school for lunch
A beautiful, warm, sunny day.
My daddy was leaning
over the big butcher block table
Head cradled in his arms
His body silently trembling
I put my hand on his back
I had never seen my daddy cry
He told me it was malignant
They removed her breast
He cried in my arms
I cried because he cried
I didn't know,
Couldn't possibly know
What that day would mean.