Mother

My mother would dance sometimes

Believing herself alone

But through a slightly open door

I would watch her as she turned

Turned round, round,

Briefly unboundMy mother played and sang sometimes

Believing herself alone

But through a slightly open door

I could see her face upturned

Songs long learned

So long untunedI was her only audience

She believes herself alone

My applause should have been rapturous

But I close the door

And turned, turned away