laundry

the line sags
with clothes,
bleached white,
the dungarees, the
t's, the dresses
pink and blue,
ready to be pressed,
or folded, put away
into dressers
for monday morning,
school. three lines
of clothing for
seven children, and
her hands are
raw from being
in water. her feet
sore from standing
on dirt, inching
down the line with
clothespins in her
mouth. it's a long
ways from here
to there, but i
remember.