A Day in the Lives
It’s Monday not Sunday
and the frail lady
in black is the only
person in the pews.
She walked in with
the cleaning crew,
four Bosnian women
in aprons and kerchiefs,
women of Islam cleaning
a Christian church
in the middle of America.
They are refugees settled
without fuss years ago.
They dust and vacuum
and keep an eye on her
sitting in the front pew
still as a statue.
They can’t see funnels
whirling in her eyes
and they don’t realize
she was there on Sunday
for the morning service
with her husband
who passed the basket
and took her to brunch.
They don’t realize
she will be leaving soon
to go where he is
to pick out his casket.
Donal Mahoney
