Canaries

J.P. Dancing Bear

my grandmother's hands are canaries ready to collapse in on themselves I study her hand in mine the purple veins and bones the thin skin ready to collapse in on themselves I am crying an afternoon of the purple veins and bones the thin skin behind my attempts to be brave I am crying an afternoon of my grandmother trying to communicate behind my attempts to be brave I feel her hand slipping my grandmother trying to communicate after the stroke stole her voice I feel her hand slipping to make gestures that are lost in the air after the stroke stole her voice locked inside her head left to make gestures that are lost in the air between us locked inside her head left ready to collapse in on herself between us my grandmother's hands are canaries