Fourth June Poem 2012

The Old Woman and the Desert #8

I’m on the bowl and

Miss Vicki and Shirley are at my door

Elizabeth died Friday

and we want you to sign her card

You didn’t know?

No

Friday night they found her body

But we don’t know when she died

You didn’t know

No

Her son had been missing her

so he came by to check in on her

and found her body

You mean Bette?

Yes You didn’t know

No

Miss Vicki’s voice quavers

(she was close to Bette

but even in sorrow she and Shirley

let themselves in to snoop

much to my embarrassment

because my home is a mess)

And Gail next door is moving out

You didn’t know

No

And Dorothy

I say better moving out than passing on

And pick up my broom

“A body in motion stays in motion”

--Richard Velez