every day I drive by the spot where it used to sit unevenly
like a chair with only two legs on the carpet now Notre Dame
is gap-toothed with a parking lot where the house should be
where memories lodge like the tiny markings on the back of china plates
with a maroon rim sitting elegantly on the table where Christmas dinner
was served on boxing day both families gathered to play games
and taub in the old house with doors leading to old-style drawing room
with furniture and lamps covered in plastic the bathrooms were
up the creaky stairs where the tenant lived every year Brad and I
would get the same thing a striped tiger or a colourful sweater
proudly worn and we performed our wunsch for Oma who smiled
and gave us ancient candy us not knowing her tragic past
in Russia and Germany and the will to survive and make a good life
that brought her here to this house on Notre Dame
us just knowing the bossy lady who loved to have pictures taken
of her new life at every opportunity but are there any pictures
of the narrow tall house besides the childhood memory pictures
in our heads?
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