I Waited Until my Abuela Died

What is it?

Her hair, tomato gardens,

and the bones of my

childhood are stained -

What was it?

green. Not her real hair.

Chemo tore it to knots,

I can’t remember.

What will it be?

Judaism says cremation

hurts like death, like

the soul never left the

body. Hers was weaned

on pain. It could never 

grow cold. What is it?