I met her once when I was four years old
grandma mary and her flowery print robe
we flew up the elevator to the eight floor
I found her waiting inside her room door

do you see her down there she said
pointing to the tree
they give her that little hole to live in
but she needs more room to breathe
so she cracks up the sidewalk
and she breaks up the street
tear it all down if she could
and grow her children right there in that god damned street

her days spent by the window light
gazing nowhere off to her right
I grabbed hold of her hand both pink and grey
she said her only words for that day