Roots

Troy and Bubba are in heaven
with Gram and Grandaddy
we don't know where Therman is
there is Mildred and my mother
Bobby and Janice
Don and John
Jimmy and Herman.

Mary was three days old when she left
she saw heaven first
Gram used to remind us to remember Mary

Mary
Mary
Mary davis
Baby Mary

I wonder sometimes
if she would have grown to be an artist
like me
painted pictures of God and birds
forgot to breathe when she was nervous
have big feet and funny toes and perfect cursive

did she cry when she left
or did she know all along
I wonder
I wander

I think sometimes that I remember Mary by myself
I pretend that we are friends
that her soul is pure
best to hold my secrets