She watches

From the corner of my eye

While I lace up my shoes

And rise from the bathtub,

Toes pruned, mind tired.

She waits

For me to be silent

So I fill up the air with junk noises

To keep her at bay.

She’s trying

To signal that someday I’ll join her,

My wings will fall off

I will shed

Like a monarch turned blue

Starving, drying out, crumpled

But patient.

She’s patient.

She knows that I’ll hav...