your mother’s mother passed

this year / you told yours she
couldn’t die / bought a potted

miniature rose plant for her /

for the kitchen table / he sheds
his leaves / the flowers won’t

open / you better understand

why so many have been walking
aimlessly / not unlike plastic

bags in wind / but now at the

indoor bus terminal the trapped
ones lift and drop / before you

say goodbye you survey the others

waiting here / there’s too much
information in each pair of eyes