and she doesn’t bust out the soap      not even the Lifebouy White
which tasted like detention and boiled brussel sprouts
the soap that made them blow bubbles for 3 days
after their younger brother taped them screeching      get the f out of my room
using that word she doesn’t like      and can’t even say

their mother confesses she stopped wearing makeup at 80
because looking in the mirror      wasn’t something she did anymore
and who cares about an old woman’s stare
because she doesn’t need to see her face
and how the years have made a home there