cat in her lap, stroking it. This morning, Grace

slept on an old quilt as I pounded in one last

nail and looked around. Remember this:

Emma’s hand on the freshly painted

sill as she waters a red geranium.

Your Son and Brother / Muriel

Your Son and Brother

Muriel

We wake up and Ollie’s not here—nothing

so unusual; he’s probably gone over to the Normans’.

Mama and Papa go to work, I milk Rosie

and make breakfast, Grace wakes up and eats it.

I feed the chickens, churn the butter.

It’s early afternoon when Mrs. Norman

comes to ask if Ollie might spare an hour or so

to help them fix a leak in their roof. What?

I thought he’d been at your house since

six o’clock this morning. We look everywhere

in both our houses, anyplace he might be working.

Grace says, He finished my playhouse yesterday.

Emma made pink curtains! We look there.

No. And then the mailman comes,

with Ollie’s letter: You’ll receive this

on Wednesday afternoon, after I have left.

I’m headed to Kansas for basic training.

You might think I’m too young, but I’m

only twenty months younger than Frank. It’s been

rough on me, thinking of him over there while I

stay safe at home. I had no trouble getting

the recruiters to believe I’m eighteen—

think of it this way: by the next time you see me,

I will be. Pa, don’t go in and try to change this—

if they find out my real age, it could cause trouble.

I’ll write again when I get settled in.

Ma and Muriel, I know you would have made me

a chicken dinner if you’d known I was leaving,

but I hope you’ll understand why I decided

not to tell you. I’ll look forward to that

dinner when I get home. Don’t be sore.

Your son and brother, Ollie.

The Normans come over and we all talk

through supper, and on and on until the sun goes down.

Papa wants to follow Ollie on tomorrow’s train.

I’ll go in his place, if they’ll let me.

He’s a mere boy. I’m not too old.

But Mr. Norman convinces Papa

that Ollie is right: A dishonorable discharge

for lying about his age could follow him

all through his life. Mama and Emma keep talking

about the danger he’ll be in. It scares me, too,

but for once I keep my opinions to myself.

If I start talking, I’m afraid I might admit

how my thoughts keep turning from the war

to Ollie’s chores. Who will do them now?

Conversation Through a Thick Curtain / July 1917

Conversation Through a Thick Curtain

July 1917

Love to Everyone / Muriel

Love to Everyone

Muriel

Emma comes leaping over the crossing stones,

waving a letter: It’s from Frank! He’s in France now.