she languished on the wall towards the street
her body had lost its posture
this is what she’d look like
how she’d be remembered
dishevelled beneath the flower-patterned blouses
the talc-scented skin
the combed hair
greasy strands here and there
but she smelled like her
with all components of her letting go
observing the past movements of the street
the past sounds of playing children
adults now
somewhere in the world
outside of her house
and she seemed to wait still
wait for a time when she felt intact
when this house felt intact
when the future felt closely knit
but all streets led away
into the world
and she sits there now
on her spot
when I remember her
the way I always loved her
Croque-Melpomene 