Pliabilities

Sometimes She Waits

Sometimes she waits for me
like when I was little and my feet so small
she'd stop to hold my hand as we
crossed the street

Sometimes she waits for me
like when I was in the 5th grade
and she wanted to watch me walk
from the bus stop in my Easter Egg costume

Sometimes she waits for me
like when I was in high school
and I stayed at the park with my
boyfriend until dark

Sometimes she waits for me
like before my wedding
so we could get a special photo
of the two of us

Sometimes she waits for me
like when we were at Target
and she became frightened and called
my name over and over

Sometimes she waits for me
like when the nurse removed
the blood pressure cuff
because it was too low to register

but I didn't understand and had
stepped out of the hospital to greet a visitor.
Out in the darkness I got a funny
feeling and ran up the four flights

When I took my place around the bed
saw the monitor register 30, then a question mark
-- was it over?  "It had been dropping, slowly,
one number at a time.  Until you walked in."

It may be wishful thinking
but now when I visit her grave
I still get the feeling that
sometimes my mother waits for me.