I sat down at a grave once
Legs folded on soiled knees
Ground parted ways for sunlight interrogation
        How did you fall?
            All the loose ends you left..
                Too much
Grass blades run sharp on hollow fingertips
Bite back at rhetorical questions
Traced the marble up and over
   Again
     And again
Took the letters under my palm
Through my skin
           Why did you cut off all your ties?
                  Allow yourself to fall off into another orbit
                       It was all too much
The valley forms where you left off
The last sentence on your page is tattooed on my forarm
Your birthday comes around like a carousel I can't get off of
Year after year I toast a drink to you
          Like you never did for me
I sat at a grave once
Legs folded on soiled knees
                     *Happy birthday Mom