My mother left me one thing
when she passed away—
a statuette of a standing grizzly bear.
Smooth wood and minimal form
a dark brown stain
a granite base.
It stands at the foot of my bed
to make bad dreams wary
of approaching my sleep.
If she set it up as sentinel
back when I suffered
childhood night terrors
she would have slept
through until dawn
more often than not.
copyright © 2021 Kenneth P. Gurney
Umflop 