I remember

she formed their faces with precision

luminous

paper white.

Brow and eyelash defined closed eyes.

Each stylized mouth pinched.

Her brush intense

traced the circle framework of a no

on some

the slash of a yes

on others.

The hair blunted to the neck

blackened.

I remember

her attention turned to costume

white

pristine.

Her magpie fingers fumbled

glued colour and seduction to the surface.

The slick shine a tattoo of beads

the green and blue black of raven's wing

the red of hemmorhage.

I remember

she placed the furniture at angles to and against the wall.s

The back wall she lined with mirror.

It seemed then that inside and outside dissolved.

I remember

for light she opened louvres floor to ceiling along each side.

The light obliged and streamed through at angles sharply

sliced up and across all t he edges in its path.

I remember

she scissored grooves into the floor

parallel or at right angles.

She felt for clearance beneath.

Two fused blocks at each end raised the whole free.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

I remember

she turned back to t he figures.

The paper white masks hung at their necks

macabre smiles tipped inward.

She traced a second set of faces behind the masks

on the bare golden heads.

These eyes could see

were blued and blacked with vision.

These mouths were closed.

Her miniature fingers fastened the glistening shirts

skirts

pants

in their place.

I remember she droped each golden leg into the grooves.

They slipped back and forth.

Willfully

I remember willfully

she controlled their direction

their completion.

I remember

she hung gauze at the windows and across the bed.

Then she draped the stage.

I remember that way she could control the beginning

and the end.

I remember

she closed the lid.

A doll's house I remember

in a cigar box.

I remember the story seared behind her memory.

her child's memory

I remember.