she said it like she meant it

she said it like she meant it
simply she was not ready
but did not wish to remove
the tethered calloused hand

that wove a secret consortium
for friends. like lovers, mistrust the boundaries, becoming clouded
at birth and never do stop
sending messages of solidarity we mistake for confused crops

mixed messages send her climbing the maple tree in the yard
where she fell once at ten, the paramedics got there too late
she was already conscious, how fancy was fate?
this was a slice of deja meeting with vu--

who would wait--why she could not---
she was flying  on nature purveying
the finest of berries brought in from local orchards
cheering the pompous and the meek

sharing the silence, no needing to speak
pass the pinto beans and dirty rice please
this is what home feels like at ease--
all checkerboarded...

red black white... purple blue skies glinting,
beneath egyptian beech tree
imported when the ocean liners
were up to only goodness knows what.

.Kate Lamberg
July10, 2013