polishing an image

her act

of kindness was part

of it,

part of

the image she wanted

to portray.

virtue

signaling with

each

vegetable on her plate,

her insistence

on

prayer at each meal,

or with an orange

sliced.

the beads

that hung from her

mirror.

the peace sticker on the car.

the rescue dogs,

now dust

in jeweled boxes.

the visiting of graves.

all a part

of her

failing, yet obvious

play.