her hands were working
bending folding
sitting in her room

father sleeping
mother talking
house was full of gloom

as she would fold
the paper over
making tiny worlds

wrapped again and
folded over
elephants and gauzy birds –

moved out when
she met a boy
made her heart beat quicker

year went by
and all had changed
the weak’ning flame to flicker

she gave him
everything she had
he gave her the cold shoulder

the hours
she’d spent with him
folded over
folded over