Doug Anderson: How She Was

I stood with my mother waiting for the Walk sign
at an intersection in downtown Tucson.
It was Sunday and the town was deserted.
The two of us and a newspaper picked up by a wind,
folding unfolding itself in the air.
There was no traffic and I started to walk
but she would not until the light changed
and so I stepped back up on the curb and waited
with her. When it changed
she stalked purposely across the street
and I walked a little behind her
watching the way she held her handbag close.

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