Sister
It was like touching
birds’ eggs, robbing the nest
of the word…as kept and
dry and secret
as her name, which they
hardly ever spoke
but was a white bird
trapped inside me
beating scared wings…
Seamus Heaney
Station Island
No,
Rollie, not you too
You heard Mama
She
didn’t mean it
Yeah, well, you weren’t there
Of
course I was I’m always
I know sorry—but is it
nicer where you are?
I’ve
been afraid to go anywhere
Why?
It’s
cold sometimes
Not colder than here
A
different cold remember when I died?
Sometimes
When
sometimes
When Mama gets quiet
So
not a lot
No really more than that
When
then
On bus rides
When
else
When I was fighting Earland
last Saturday I could feel him
Feel
him what
Go loose like I am right not remember going loose?
Yes
What was it like?
Quiet Mama’s shouting got quiet
Not for long I think sometimes you were her only kid
I
know what you mean
She’s gonna hate what I
did
What
was it again?
She said
Here’s
my hand
She said get out
of here
She
was mad
and don’t ever come back
People
say things
Yeah well
It’s ok
Let’s go Look it’s
Buddy. He was told
Told
what
Not to go in boats see he’s
under the tarp
Take
his hand
It’s not as heavy as it
was
Hi
Buddy
My sister
You have a sister?
She died
When?
A while ago
How
Car hit her when she was
getting off the bus
Oh You never said
No We don’t say Mama
doesn’t
Where are we
This? This place?
Come
on We can go now
Yeah
Where
We’ll
follow the others
There are more
Yes
How many?
Twelve
Twelve
Twelve?
Almost
more some learned how to
breathe again
Twelve But Junior I
have to go He said
It’s too late He’s not here
Where is HERE?
Here
Take
my hand
continuing the poems about the tragedy of Gardner's Lake
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