Mother, My Most Faithless Lover

I dream still of
falling asleep to your song,
under the red light
in the dim room
yellow bed covers
dull walls
linoleum floor.

The bathroom faucet
never shut off.
It dripped forever,
and there was a bucket full of wet clothes
you never wrung out to dry.

My cold toes
were tucked,
curled in my knees’ bend
cross legged.
You held me
in your lap
just fine
then.