After the store-bought Christmas
dinner was ordered bought
picked up by me and offered on
ceramic dinner plates as a result of
it’s Christmas in spite of everything
After dietary preferences had been
accommodated wine of each colours
was opened poured and drunk
and the bottles had been hauled by me
in a big wicker basket at nighttime
to the recycling bin After
the leftover meals was scraped
by me into the trash the bowls
rinsed underneath water that scalded
my palms After the dishwasher
was unloaded and punctiliously re-
loaded by me with the knives
dealing with up so as to get clear
After wiping down all seen
surfaces After receiving a name from
an unknown quantity confirming
burial and never cremation After
reheating two pies of mysterious
inside— After telling the person
on the cellphone to present me no matter—
After stacking the pies on wire racks
to chill After chopping and presenting
a slice to every member of this household
who arrived like kings
to feast earlier than the funeral After
repeating the time and placement
the placement and time After procuring
cellphone chargers pens gum
matches After realizing my mom
was gone for hours in her bed room
After the abdomen lurch of not one
chew or sip of something crossing
my lips all night time my uncle as I bent
to assemble his pie-crusted plate
stated to me I can’t consider in spite of everything
I’m the final considered one of my household
alive and he appeared towards my eyes
however appeared unseeing by means of me
twenty-eight years previous and lady
and invisible However my father
It’s my father
I wish to say however don’t say
My father is lifeless the unsuitable thought
of it oozing into the air round me
which my uncle and the remainder of them
selected to not see—and for which
they won’t be forgiven
