Fallout (Crank 3)

“amazing opportunity”

is always within sight.

Why can’t she ever

get things right?

Dad believes she came

into the world hungry

to break rules, argue.

Instigate a fight.

She has a short fuse

too easy to ignite.

Mom, who is gentler,

and carried her for nine

months, thinks of Kristina

in a different light.

She was a special child.

Beautiful. Talented. Bright.

I mostly only see her on

holidays. She has a truck-

driver mouth. Smokes too

much, is wound too tight.

Like a hummingbird,

denied the freedom of flight.

Autumn

CHANGE IS COMING

The surety of that has augered

its way into my brain, stirring up

all those buried childhood fears. I

deal with the uncertainty of tomorrow

by über-controlling today.

Which means getting up an hour