For Scottie: Mississippi, '97

and in the end, it was the river,
the mississippi, it was water wild and churning
and sucking
every limb
the water was not afraid to swallow you whole and
how sad
I was so real
I was the baby bird, shook socked and still
beautiful and working my wings
and i got them to work
eventually
but
because of your
hands
and there is no worse feeling than

I know it's over and still, you cling

I guess in 36 years, my biggest lesson learned has been even the best of us

we can treat kindly, this smashing, soaring world, and yet,

mother,
it's always,
mother.

and if you're so clever, why are you on your own tonight?

why when you hunger only for light, then a ray of moonlight beats through and choke you to sick?

the world is still beautiful

love is still natural and real,

but not for such as you.

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© 1997 Monica Lewis