27

when the house came together in
four parts. the stairs met on
the landing. it was 1992
and i was five years-old.

all the walls were white.
there was a small space
between the couches and the wall
with one painting.

by 1998 everything changed
the walls stayed standing.
-Hannah



In one year's time, one person's absence has
Surfaced up years of suppressed opinions
Bad blood swallowed in order to keep peace
Is still bad blood, it doesn't go away

So busy pointing critical fingers
Defensiveness fades into bitterness
And then there is rewriting history
"Where were you?" "How could you?" "Why didn't you?"

After one year it isn't possible
To come all together in her memory
Pride is so destructive, it makes us blind
Volatile words further divide

Forgetting how much we need each other
Not even sure how we got to this point
-KM