 | OFFICIAL NOMINEE FOR THE
2000 PUSHCART PRIZE ANTHOLOGY
FROM RED RIVER REVIEW |
...after she was gone, he went to her room, to
look at her things, the small woman things
left on the bureau, the dresser, in small drawers,
boxes, everything scented, with lavender, gardenia, or
roses, lilies, wisteria?...a silver handled brush, holding
tangles of her hair, a matching hand mirror, given to her
by her mother, the little things she used
in the morning...
folded near the edge of the dressing table, not discarded
as it could be used again, he found a kleenex, which he
opened to find a perfect oval 'O' blotted with the red
red lipstick they wore in those days...he folded this on
itself two more times, tucked it in his pocket. later that day, at the end of recess, he hid
in playground shadows
under the slide, and withdrew his
treasure to look again at the secret pressed flower, the scented
red mystery of mother's kiss, unfolded in his hand....
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