my mother’s words
were cold
excuses
to behold
words bitten
and bereft
of love and then
of theft

and I just had
to see
her means
of robbery
I had to
understand
her
animosity

but she just poured
me tea
and offered
cigarettes
I turned them down
you see
and thrice more
after that

no food she
offered me
I shivered
and I shook
and she
stared down at me
she gave that
“mother” look

and finally
I laid down
I rolled my eyes
at her
she didn’t
claim the gold
she only
took the myhrr

my mother’s words
were cold
the elevator
froze
she stood there
unattached
how so, nobody
knows

why did she
even come
on that
unspoken day
why did she
even climb
the bridge to
the buffet

and chevrolets
were just
approaching
so to speak
and dwarfs were
forming bands
just once or
twice a week

and mother’s words
were cold
and stuff was
on discount
and I was just
a boy
in care of lost
and found