Poem "Broken Strings" by American Poet Mark Tulin

MARK TULIN is an American poet, humorist, and short-story writer. Born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, he attended the Pennsylvania State University where he studied psychotherapy, specializing in family and sex therapy.

In 2012, after practicing for thirty years as a marriage and family therapist, he moved to Santa Barbara in Southern California. Today, he lives with his second wife, Alice, in Long Beach.

Tulin began writing poems as a teenager to cope with asthma and family issues. His poems have been published in Vita Brevis, Amethyst Review, Poppy Road Review, Family Therapy Magazine, The Opiate, Active Muse, Beatnik Cowboy, Page and Spine, Red Wolf Editions, and Spillwords, among others.

His poetry books include the following:

• Growing Together and Other Poems (2023)

• Uncommon Love Poems (2023)

• Rain on Cabrillo (2021)

• Junkyard Souls (2020)

• Awkward Grace (2019)

• Magical Yogis (2017)

You can follow Tulin at www.crowonthewire.com.

Mom kept saying that there was nothing wrong

with the two rackets that had broken strings

in her closet.

She wanted us to play on the court together

just like she did with dad,

but I was always too busy.

If I had known that she would die,

I would have taken her

to the courts around the corner

with the sagging nets, puddles

and police sirens in the background.

I wouldn't have acted so ashamed of her

or gotten angry

at her crazy words and behavior

or made fun of her chocolate cake

that lay crumbled on the kitchen table.

AUTHOR ROSALIENE BACCHUS

Reaching minds and hearts through storytelling

POEM "BROKEN STRINGS" BY AMERICAN POET MARK TULIN

BROKEN STRINGS BY MARK TULIN

BROKEN STRINGS BY MARK TULIN continued