she felt the need. tied her knots.
a rope. a towel. a sheet.
a cord.

she touched their hair. woke
the first. stroked her
cheek. left

her swinging in the air. called
the second. held her hand.
fit the noose

around her neck and hugged
the third. kissed her lips. slipped
her softly from her

bed and as she swung, went
back. once more. hung her head.
asked her final child to

please. keep still. don’t weep. closed
her eyes and hers and hers and hers
and joined them in their sleep.