mom,

one day
day unknown,
but known to be,

I’ll have to hear
your laugh in the crows
and smell your skin
in the wet bark
of a tree,

I’ll have to sense
your touch
from fallen leaf
and reach for
your hand in
the stones of a creek

swallows
swallow
swallowed

into the sky
into the soil
into the sea

how cruel they are to take you away from me.

—

11:21pm

hi mom
are you around

yes I’m here.