Crucifix

That girl (she was small)

delivered

as only a child does

a character—

of a child

arms out as crucifix

to bear a cumbersome

cumbersome jacket.

How she would love that word,

cumbersome cumbersome

because she’s a child and

it rumbles round the cheeks.

Mother-love is kneeling

affixing zippers and such and

little lark leans in:

eery how more perfect is

a small face than a large

a human than an adult.

Through that glass door only

her breath-fire-fog

spirals out along the winter light

and she will roll away

unknowing; she has left

this place in

new sad silence.