that's who she was

i remember the holiday

when

my sister's

husband,

fresh out of jail

for murder

was at the table

with a metal

ring

holding his head

in place,

a bullet still lodged

in his neck

from a drug

deal gone bad.

i remember my mother

cutting

his turkey meat

for him,

pouring gravy

onto his potatoes,

and buttering his bread.

that's who she

was.