when Mary moved to Miami

when

Mary moved to Miami

in her

eighties,

to become queen of

the senior home

she moved into.

i figured that i'd never see

her again.

i was right.

but she did send me

a card

every year

for my birthday,

for Christmas

and for

no reason at all sometimes.

occasionally

she'd call.

and then

they stopped

coming.

so i knew, despite

not knowing,

i knew she was gone.