she was the kind of girl who put her coffee in a tea pot
used whole cream instead of half
traded her kisses for hand-made wool socks
taught her friends how to pickle radishes

she was the woman who woke her kids at night
brought them to the barn by oil lamp
to watch the baby goats being born
to watch mama goats licking their babies clean

she was the kind of girl who left home to defy her parents
started drinking wine from big bottles, smoking, dancing, laughing
hitchhiking with baby girls
saving dimes in canning jars for once-yearly vacations

she was the woman who drew you to the ocean
picnicked with boyfriends in the sand, cuddling up against driftwood
walked the beach bare foot
showed you how to pry mussels off rocks at low tide

because of her you breathe sea air,
sit high in a mermaid's throne:
she was the woman who led you here, unafraid of consequences
she was the kind of girl you love.