I went to a greenhouse on my own today
which seems like the sort of thing
you might do
but you would know the names of the plants
or at least make better guesses
It was cold, and I walked fast
from the greenhouse to the grocery store
where I shopped with a list
that I wrote down by hand
after I sat and planned the meals for the week
Dad thinks no one does that anymore
but in fact it’s very trendy right now
Was there ever a trend you gave a damn about?
Probably. I suspect you were more
self conscious than I am, most of the time
But no one would guess it
For years I thought your preferences were mine
because they are, so often
I was proved wrong by bougainvillea
blossoming a bright red-purple-pink
that you say is your least favorite color
Mother, I love it
But I would never, ever wear that color on my body
we may not be the very same
but we are not that different yet