STARK NIGHTS

"The Women in My Family and Their Feet" by Rebecca Barlowe

My great-grandmother lived to be 105
at least that’s what they say. Her death
came by a broken
foot.

She was as healthy as a horse, my grandmother
Comments at the face of my father’s
jokes.

With emotions weaving and waning out
she said, that’s how they all went, my mother,
my aunt, my sister.

I said, you should take care of your feet. And
we all laughed, not knowing, slightly
aghast