Miss Bettie

love
walking around in tee shirts
riding gold jewelry
and sparkling rings
elegant
casual
comfortable
swatting butts
giving hugs
an anchor for little children
sullen teens
grown women
lost men

that lady
that queen
is my friend
i'm her sister
she said so
she is aunt to my younger son
auntie bettie
who loves elegantly
who gives unstintingly
is an oracle
giving good advice
to those intelligent enough to listen
and will love you even though
she knows you are being stupid
jesus loves like that
muhammad loves like that
God loves like that
and i'm taking notes