I come upon a house
A dull, brown house
No life, no vibrancy
Except a flickering light in the living room

Though the garden now covered in weeds
Roses are all I see
The rose I planted many years ago
Now a dull, green stem

Through the door and in the kitchen
I once sat eating eggs with soy sauce
I unload the groceries and begin to cook

There she is
Walking slowly and carefully
Her feeble legs moving her forward

“Hello, Poh-poh. How are you?”
“Fine,” she says
A pause
“Have you seen Karina?”