Greystone: Fall

It was golden red ocher and amber
outside the tall windows behind the wire cage
and if she stood on her bare toes and leaned close
she'd see the white bench with cracked paint
in the front yard by the bus stop
where yesterday she had waited
waited though she could hear the animals the voices
now out and down the hallway were only whispers
among the black ladies checking boxes
matching lists and the song of paper lifted rested
all that calmed her as gentle things calm
and soon the men who had brought the boxes
up the cold elevator would leave with their dolly
dolly and she liked them in their blue jeans
their soiled work boots laughing laughing
then pointing at each other a secret (hush!)
wishing she could leave with them maybe
say something smart that would make them laugh
so they could all point at each other
and hear only the letting go and not the voices whispers
for as long as she can remember and be brave
again like yesterday alone in the elevator
in her only coat and underneath her sleeping dress
and the blue sky terry cloth slippers she
loved and hid beneath her blanket at night
wearing them to protect her in the elevator
and then out onto the white bench by the bus stop
curling her toes in the sky blue magic
trying to quiet the voices the animals
caught in the gold red ocher and amber
till the bus came and stopped stop for her
and as she stepped into the warm found
the black ladies who counted boxes and made paper
songs and one took her arm warm and whispered her.
back.

p.m.