Lifeless

a sheet covering hangs

without form shaping

my body beneath it-

grey feet are exposed

air heavy mocks the

mother mourning this loss

silence the voices loud and relentless

she pleads to those who won’t hear her

the swollen belly such joy and promise

and here in this noisy, brutal room she knows

darkness covers the surrounding streets

this day is brief, humid and silver

sandwiched between two nights

silence sucking hours then days into its cavernous hold.

Published in Garfield Lake Review 2014