Anne's 52 steps
In memory of Dane,
I knew a boy once
whose mother had
faith,
whose smile was wider
than the
in flood -
He heard a far-off bell and footstepped
out of the garden of
his body,
and even the
footprint she could not keep.
I knew a boy once
whose mother had
faith,
when you knocked on
all the doors she stood behind
each one -
so that she was
locked inside
and then she held him
so that you knew.
I knew a boy once
whose mother had
faith,
who said my name so
that
I saw myself a blade of green grass
in a blackened field
-
so he cupped my small
flame
and I shone.
I knew a boy once
whose mother had
faith,
who went sailing out
with mine
on the
to find the first
fish -
and now the first
fish hangs there forever
from my boy's
uplifted hand.
In the happy, happy land of magic trimbles,
trambles
never get sick, moms never cry
and the sun never
goes down.
Consuelo Roland