Crank (Crank 1)

too much seafood, shop Ghiradelli Square,

and visit my grandma—to see just how

far she had slipped away toward

the underworld of dementia.

We went down the weekend before and it

was just as I imagined. I knew things

had taken a turn for the worse when Grandma

stood up in church and yelled, “I have

to go to the bathroom!” Flying relatively high on

the monster, I laughed like a lunatic all the way

home. Which made Mom mad and made me wonder:

Does insanity swim in our gene pool?

In One of Her Better Moments

Grandma drew me aside,

put one finger to creviced

lips and whispered,

Kristina, dear, I’ve got something

here I want you to have.

One tentative hand stretched

toward mine. Grandma’s eyes

sparkled, glass under rain.

My grandmother gave this to me

on my own 17th birthday.

It was a beautiful gold locket—24

karat, with an inlay of diamonds.

But the real treasure was inside.

That’s my wedding picture, there.

And my grandmother’s, there.

Both women wore ivory lace,

simplicity made lovely with a spray