Molly Fisk: She Lived to See

a few pale thumb-sized Early Girls, 
the children next door growing tiny
fields of alfalfa in plastic Sprite bottle 
troughs hung on the fence, a female 
Bullocks oriole, one huge pink poppy
bursting from its pod with finite glory.
Then she told more stories when
we thought we knew them all, hosted
her world of friends, ate only bites but 
always well: warm boysenberry pie, 
bone broth matzoh ball soup. Not 
the capons she served, one Thanksgiving 
in Provence with thyme and shallots, 
but savory and fine nonetheless. 
And when it built too high, the cancer's 
caroling distress, she said good-bye.

Copyright 2020 Molly Fisk

Molly Fisk’s books include The More Difficult Beauty (Hip Pocket Press, 2010).