& suddenly, my grief left—-
she opened the door & stepped
into the dawn, forgetting to shut it behind her

all my past lovers flew back into my arms
& my mother was resurrected,
everything slowed

but the doves stopped cooing.
maybe their new beauty stunted song,
maybe they preferred their old name

as a child, i didn’t know their grief
& now that i do, who am i to strip them of it
as we all swim against the tide of endless mourning