fossil
the day of her arrival is a fossil.
exposed, it erodes
it crumbles apart
grain by grain
this grain is the metal mouth of the aircraft
the attendant is on autopilot and leads her in, blank and smiling
this grain is the plane
scrying over a landscape of night and day
this grain is the tarmac-memory on which she stands
she watches the wind harden in the windsock-mouth
this grain is her mother; 'this is your new home,' she cries
out,
her cries and her smiles are mixed in her mouth; fears for her
child
ten grains equal ten years
left behind.
the grains fall,
become one with the dust.
Acknowledgment: Meanjin
