STANDING
AT
MOTHER’S
GRAVE
I’m
exhausted.
Could
you
come
back
tomorrow?
But
Mom,
you’re
dead,
how
could
you
be
tired?
You
don’t
understand
it’s
your
father
I
had
to
make
him
lunch
You
know
every
day
at
twelve,
up
here
it’s
the
same
as
below
What
you
really
need,
you
always
need.
I
loved
your
father
on
earth
I
made
him
lunch,
so
comes
twelve
o’clock
I
make
him
lunch
–
tuna
fish
sandwich,
fresh
tomato,
little
apple
juice
And
Dad,
how
is
he?
Oh,
you
know
watching
the
Yankee
game
But
Mom
there’s
no
surprise,
no
season
up
there,
no
win
or
loss?
Did
you
think
your
father
really
cared
about
who
won?
Now
I
have
to
go
watch
the
life
of
Katherine
Hepburn
on
TV
So
Mother
when’s
a
good
time
to
talk?
I
made
a
special
trip
I’m
here
because
I
care,
but
I
only
have
so
much
care
to
give
I
don’t
remember
you
ever
speaking
to
me
that
way
You
wait
until
I’m
dead,
that’s
nice
Mother
alive
you
never
gave
me
a
chance
–
when’s
a
good
time?
And
I’m
not
coming
if
you’re
tired,
never
if
you’re
tired
Would
you
like
a
cup
of
tea?
Mother,
you
can’t
do
those
things
anymore
Close
your
eyes
See
the
kitchen,
teakettle,
and
your
cup
Now,
take
down
a
Lipton
tea
bag
from
the
shelf
Pour
in
the
water
and
sip
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