1 Written by Christoph Girard

Mamma, him, his father was ill
his mother, very ill, shut down
fifty percent more abortions
left his widowed mamma optimistic
in America

Grumpy hard-hearted life changes
and grandfather’s wishes
transforming curves into hard lines
they were poor, if possible
if able to buy a boy’s good nature
no pride made him rich
a favored bourgeois holocaust

Pale and thin
beginning to sit in her chair
covered by the window
eyes dressed in black
all the dimples gone
her face against her will
looked large
a mournful deformation

Brought to England
grandson grew up by letting go
estranged from the original trust
no one, he returned home
knew nothing, never asked why
whatever about it
never any burden as an excuse