Hankies and Shrouds

Yours has hers already ironfolded
on top the armoire. She looks at it
now and then. Washes it. Puts it back.

Mine had hankerchiefs. I have perhaps
a dozen of them in a safe place
where they won't get dirty anymore.

Yours isn't into keeping much about.
So much work and she is so old now.
The shroud is her only effort.

Mine is gone already so I have these left
to protect for a while longer. I give one
away when it is important to do so.
They still smell like her closets.

Yours is always complaining of her bad luck.
She isn't worried about what comes next,
she knows it. She tries it on now and then for practice.

Mine made peach cobbler and complained
all the time but not to me. I can hear that
from yours and mine was already very old anyway.
She knew what kind of history repeats itself.

Yours has little eyes behind magnifying lenses.
Mine had sunken ones too deep to sink into.