Downtown
Bumping music, competing voices
Air stuffy, shoes stick
She's catching up with friends
Gently caressing wooden railing spindles;
Swallowing Shirley Temple's
I'm alone again
Attic
Yelling below, thuds, & crys
Scared, thinking the worst
Angry, drunk mother slamming door on face
Hot, bitter tears basking salt
Death
A gasping breath under weighed fingers calling my name,
These legs are glued
A face turns blue
Small little plastic clock
Distraction to disorder
Rescue
Projecting blame, unaccountable adult
None of this is right
Suits, note pads & tables
Seatbelts looser than her grip
Dreaming of far, far away
Runaway
Commands, demands pervasive parent
Angry, unable to escape
She barges through barricade
Wooden window pane opens easy,
Shaking & hungry
Adulting
Your impatient, judgement tone
A daughter you never knew
Escaping coping mechanisms
Freedom to choose
Lighting up in front of me
Sweet affections we lose
