She knew her parents wouldn’t approve,
Of her lover
With a different religion and culture
From a faraway country
Studying at a nearby university, close to hers
She lied she’d be at the library
And spent hours with him
So she never told her parents,
Even when he left her.

Miriam Stein is a social worker, advocacy consultant, and author of Make Your Voice Matter With Lawmakers: No Experience Necessary. Her writings have appeared in local and national publications, including 50wordstories.com. See more at makeyourvoicematter.com.