Swan Song
by Katarina Boudreaux
near the petunias
we planted them in the rain months ago
she lost her first shoe
barefoot on the swing, it was high summer
the ability to walk left later
the circus was in town, and how we laughed
the last function to leave
scallops were his favorite, carefully browned
she could smell the faint scent of jasmine
it was too cold to walk around the block and
I was never really listening
how many cups of tea
Katarina Boudreaux is a writer, musician, composer, tango dancer, and teacher -- a shaper of word, sound, and mind. She returned to New Orleans after circuitous journeying. New work is forthcoming in the Sand Hill Review and YAY!LA. www.katarinaboudreaux.com