| 
      up the oldex- t  e  n  s  i  o  n
 ladder to brighter
 whiter windows
 turning mother
 mound over mound
 mixing sifting her
 off to the nursery
 for babies to raise
 to blossomy beauties
 a feeder filled
 with water and seed
 beckons from
 the maple tree
 slap off the dust
 of decomposition
 no more innocent
 plant deaths
 stain these hands
 |