Dirty water spins until the machine

grinds to an abrupt halt

that no amount of frantic button pushing

can remedy

Hate grabs his buddies

(he’s perpetually popular)

They stood proudly atop their pile of victims,

thanking her (or their shallow understanding of her)

I held my breath,

defying osmosis

As long as I could remember, she had loved flowers

In her gardens, on her table

The remnants of excitement now dimmed

beneath years of toil and disappointments