BIRTH/DEATH CARD

by Dorothy Mack

when birth and death
are the same not
come full circle
but cut short
blank baby book
one picture, one
page why not send
one announcement
birth & death save
time postage grief
a sleight-of-hand
flip-flop, flip-flop
one baby blue
one coffin black
now you see it
now you don't
black/blue/black/blue/black
read my fortune
deal me a birth/
death card.