Naomi Tarle

signs of the underneath:
rust is dull
still:
paint shining at corners
(the ‘S’ key strangely many shades darker)
all those fingers piled up
all of them mingling touching
old:
sometimes there is a voice
the space between:
smaller than ribbon scream-whispers
makes metal tolerable
or:
plastic from now-now-now
not then
this dirt:
on my fingers
filthuh:
hear how the dirt builds upon skin
ah:
                         (a good cleaning she says
                         hot water
                         HOT water is what you need
                         and a powdering after like a proper
                         proper what lady
                         oh yes a what lady proper
                         water what lady
                         now it will be hot-uh water
                         and rrrubbed dry
                         and powder puff
                         stand and still and arms out like so bird and legs
                         i mean feet apart just so
                         lady remember lady
                         you might kill your mother if you don’t
                         no i mean she might die if you don’t
                         there she is
                         naked and powdered
                         powdered naked
                         puff     puff     puff-hhh)
and the title:
GOOD GRANDDAUGHTER
oh yes

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