Puma Perl		Dignity We never got along Sometimes she remembered my number and left messages late at night called me her little girl asked me why I ran away At 38 years old I drove aimlessly Every time I saw a truck I prayed for sudden death In the hospital an intern tweaked her nose Briefly she regained her senses stared at him indignantly She’d only eat if I fed her When I waved the spoon she’d open her mouth At mealtimes I seemed like a real daughter The nurses approved I sat in the emergency room Listened to her ravaged screams Someone inserted a catheter They must have held her down She died in her own bed The home attendant called me Her Jamaican rhythms wilted as she wailed for my mother I held the phone for a long time As always, I didn’t know what to do