The henna blossoms outside her window
reminded her of the copper gilded ghosts
and the grief that changed her hair
from coal black apple shine to dirty dusty silver. 
The thick irrational shiver,
adjacent to the dead temperature of her savior, 
put poetry and novels in a box,
to be carted off forever.  Her three legged dog, 
Memphis, visits her unmarked grave daily.  
He cries to kiss her, knowing, it’ll be never. 

(C) Edelweiss Meadows-Millstone