for Joyce
1. The color of unbleached linen. 2. And the creased skin of her forearms, as if she
was never enveloped by the sun. 3. The drapes ever drawn, copse against glare and
spectacle. 4. Her eyes on dishes piled in the sink, another afternoon up to her elbows.
5. She orchestrated escape. 6. Reluctant to leave before triple-checking the locks and
palming the stove to prove the burners cold. 7. No coil of blisters to have or to hold.
—Melissa McGraw, Wauwatosa
