it was implied
rather than stated outright,
as all these things must be,
when spoken of at all,

with cousins playing in
the hayloft of the old barn,
next door at the neighbors,
so the children would not hear

and i stood, looking out
the window, at the glorious
spring, unfurling in the soft
butter yellow of one crocus,

the earth giving us back our
lives, as though the prairie
winter still held the power
to carry us away in storm,

the coffee gone cold in my mug,
as i did not listen, or i did listen,
but paid no attention, to the
whispered vehemence of aunts–

it was done now, anyway,
as has always been done
by women everywhere.