Forgotten
in locked allotments
bracing brass monkey feet
she
dug
deep
with clenched teeth
through frozen clods
customarily turning over old leaves
until
she slipped
and gripping glass
g
u
i
l
l
o
t
i
n
e
d
her pinkie finger tip.
.
As shock welled
to fill iced water butts
she saw her isolation reflected hard as winter
and lifting her mangled digit
in surrender
staggered bleeding to the gate.