Page 65 of Fallout (Crank 3)

“amazing opportunity”

is always within sight.

Why can’t she ever

get things right?

Dad believes she came

into the world hungry

to break rules, argue.

Instigate a fight.

She has a short fuse

too easy to ignite.

Mom, who is gentler,

and carried her for nine

months, thinks of Kristina

in a different light.

She was a special child.

Beautiful. Talented. Bright.

I mostly only see her on

holidays. She has a truck-

driver mouth. Smokes too

much, is wound too tight.

Like a hummingbird,

denied the freedom of flight.

Autumn

CHANGE IS COMING

The surety of that has augered

its way into my brain, stirring up

all those buried childhood fears. I

deal with the uncertainty of tomorrow

by über-controlling today.

Which means getting up an hour

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