White men handed papers to my mother
through a cracked door. We had to
get boxes from the liquor store
& watch her get drunk.
Before, just yesterday, my mother
brought home purple heart doilies
& gave us large silver coins
we held tight in our hands
running to catch ice cream bells.
Yesterday she baked macaroons,
she talked to her plants & scrubbed
even the air with her sure, careful
movements.
