She taped a note to my lunchbox, 

“I love you, Be a Good Little Girl”. 

Day after day, year after year, always the same.

But he isn’t listening again.

She shakes her head but does not move her lips.

Listen closely, this is when she is saying the most.

It is when she keeps quiet 

instead of telling him what she means

that I learn what she really meant 

to “Be a Good Little Girl”.