While Papa Died

eventually he won't bleed she said

while dreaming elephants upon the corrugated rooftops

dancing in toe shoes and thimbles for hats

her mother didn't hear the words across her

cooling soup as the steam drew faces upon the ever

widening expanse of her eyes some of the faces cold and formed like tinmen

from the old cans that papa threw out to the dogs

both elated and emaciated from winter

and the running water resting like david between the burst pipe

and a melting scene of grass and tangled hair

eventually he won't bleed she said

into the white dress her mother bought her for her birthday

when the narcissus and daffodils groped the air

for pleasure the air would tremble as rough hands lifted her skirt

above her knees and down again

they both knew though they never spoke or made eye contact

in fact she had never seen his face but she dreamed that he had blue eyes

and cheeks that smelled like sound of chickens clucking

through the yard she liked when he would smile at her with his hands

and whisper summer rains into her memory

she missed him when he left and she remained curled and bleeding

her eyes painting upon her cheeks like spring paints upon frozen hillsides

eventually he won't bleed anymore she said

to the woman with the white gown and stethoscope mama gave

me a white dress last spring and i turned seventeen forever

when he smiled at me with his fingers like the laughter you hear

in the morning on the hillsides as the sun rises but turn to find the voices

hiding again in the grasses growing greener than they used to

he would take me places far away she said and he would leave me there for

us to grow old together like the china in grandma's cupboard

together he'd tell me secrets the woman in the white gown

would leave the room then and always like she was looking for a pet cat

and silence like an uncomfortable hat would fall from its place

on the coat tree and cry she would cry to because she forgot the most important part

that mama smiled when she put on her dress and said

mountains with a tanager's voice

eventually he won't bleed anymore she said

as the smell of dirt lifted her from heaven to the grave

and all the whispers and foretold memories of centuries precipitated upon

the windows of the car while lady sang the blues like sandpaper

and the music undressed her until she cried in front of him

for the first time she saw herself in the silver of the mirror and she

was beautiful without her dress and completely cold her eyes succumbed to her

and she stared into the mirror and saw herself

before she saw him and never his face for her protection

and he always had blue eyes